makazze: "In NAVI Junior, I didn't play smart CS. It's a big step for me"

As he prepares to step onto his first big stage, NAVI's young gun says that he needs to improve his performances.

FaZe booked a spot in the quarter-finals of IEM Cologne after coming in third place in their group, behind Spirit and MOUZ, after surviving back-to-back elimination series against Ninjas in Pyjamas and FaZe.

One of the main talking points about Natus Vincere in this tournament has been Drin "⁠makazze⁠" Shaqiri, who was promoted to the main squad in the summer as a replacement for Justinas "⁠jL⁠" Lekavicius. The Kosovar youngster delivered a mixed bag of performances in the group stage, which he finished with a 1.00 rating.

"I'm happy with the way the team has been playing, not with the way I've been playing, for sure," he told HLTV. "I need to step up, for sure, in the playoffs and the next tournaments. I mean, we also haven't had a lot of time to practice.

"I'm trying to do my best in my position and help the team."

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The 18-year-old admitted that he was surprised that he got to keep most of the spots he had on NAVI Junior, though he pointed out that he doesn't have the same freedom as before. "I think that with time, I'm going to have that," he noted. "And let's see how it's going to work. It's the first tournament. We're going to try things out, and we'll see."

On Friday, Natus Vincere will enter the Lanxess Arena to take on The MongolZ in the quarter-finals—the first big stage match in makazze's career. The head-to-head record between the two teams this year is split down the middle after four matches (2-2), and makazze his confident NAVI can come out on top.

"I think they haven't played a lot, like three or four days of pracc, so they're playing off individual skill," he said. "They're not playing as a team. I think we can punish them as a team."

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Congratulations, makazze. You've made it to the IEM Cologne playoffs. Let's start there. Having made your debut with the new NAVI roster, who was it?

 To be honest, it was an insane feeling. Yesterday, I couldn't control my emotions. I was a little bit shaky. But at least we've made it.

 You've had some good matches, some tougher ones. Can you tell me how happy you are with how you are playing in this new role?

I'm happy with the way the team has been playing, not with the way I've been playing, for sure. I need to step up, for sure, in the playoffs and the next tournaments. I mean, we also haven't had a lot of time to practice. We had like a two-week bootcamp. I've been with the team for like 20 days. A two-week bootcamp and now we've been in the tournament for six, seven days. So we haven't had a lot of time to practice, but I'm trying to do my best in my position and help the team.

 Talking about your position, I spoke to B1ad3 yesterday, and he was saying how he was trying to make you as comfortable as possible and not put you in a lot of new positions. Obviously, you are not a one-for-one player for jL, he's more of a lurker, right? So there had to be some swaps. How happy are you with the positions that you've been given?

 I'm happy with the positions that they gave me, because I didn't expect that for sure. I didn't think they were going to give me my positions, but in most of the maps, I have them. Still, I don't have the freedom I had in NAVI Junior. I think that with time, I'm going to have that. And let's see how it's going to work. It's the first tournament. We're going to try things out, and we'll see.

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B1ad3 interview: Calling up makazze, role changes and s1mple's shock transfer

 What do you think have been the biggest challenges for you to step into this main team? It's obviously a big step, I'm sure, in terms of preparation leading up to a tournament, how you guys approach practice and all these things. What have been the biggest challenges for you?

They approach the game differently than me, for sure, because they have experience and this stuff, so I think it was the approach [to] the game. They approach [it] differently. In everything, they're smart. In NAVI Junior, I didn't play smart CS, so it's like a big step for me.

 You're about to step into the Lanxess Arena for the first time. It's a big goal for a lot of players to be able to play there. This is your first tournament, and you're already going to step on your first stage. What is it like to imagine that?

To be honest, when I started playing CS, it was only Bad News Eagles, a team from Kosovo. They went to the Legends Stage of three Majors, and I was really proud of them. So at least I will try to do all of what they did.

Date	Matches
IEM Cologne 2025
01/08/2025	The MongolZ 15:45 Natus Vincere	Match

 Tell me about the match against The MongolZ. It's nothing new for the team, I think they've played something like five times this year already, but it's going to be new in terms of you coming into the matchup, with different roles and different things. How do you see your chances against one of the most improved teams of the year?

I'm confident, and I think as a team we are confident that we can beat them. I think they haven't played a lot, like three or four days of pracc, so they're playing off individual skill. They're not playing as a team. I think we can punish them as a team.