Magisk: "I'm going to be here until the end of the year, and from there I will see what happens"

The Dane is grateful for the chance to represent Astralis once again.

Emil "⁠Magisk⁠" Reif found himself without a team following his Falcons benching, but an opportunity to return to Astralis arose when Martin "⁠stavn⁠" Lund stepped down due to "personal reasons."

The four-time Major winner was more than happy to return to his old stomping ground, telling HLTV he appreciates the opportunity.

"I just wanted to get back and play Counter-Strike," he said after Astralis beat Virtus.pro at FISSURE Playground 2. "Because that's what I love to do."

He also spoke about reuniting with Nicolai "⁠device⁠" Reedtz, playing under Rasmus "⁠HooXi⁠" Nielsen, and his expectations for the Serbian tournament.

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Magisk, you're here making your second debut with Astralis at FISSURE Playground 2. You just got your first win, so how does it feel to get a W on the board?

Obviously it's super important that we won today. I think VP has also been going through a lot of changes and stuff like that, so this was a very important win for us to be 1-1 and not 0-2. Because as a new team we don't have the best practice and stuff like that, so it's important that we close games out and make sure we get the W. It's a good feeling to get the win today.

You're back in an Astralis jersey right after a couple of years. How does it feel to wear it again?

It's both a weird feeling and a good feeling in the sense that it's been a long time since I've worn this jersey, and I have a lot of good memories from playing in Astralis. So it's a bit weird, but it's also a good feeling. It's nice to play with the Danish guys again.

Even though it's the same org, a lot of different people are in the org and in the roster as well. So does it still feel like home in a way to you?

I don't really focus too much on anything else than just Counter-Strike. So for me wearing the jersey is the same as it was, I don't know how many, five, six, or seven years ago. I don't even remember. So yeah, it definitely feels like a home still.

One of the pieces that is still here is device, who you had a lot of success with back in the days. How is reuniting with him and playing with him again?

I think it's been almost five years since we played together or something like that, so it's been a long time. People change, people grow up, and a lot of stuff can happen in five years. It's a pretty good feeling to reunite with him and get to play with him again. I always had good memories with him, and he's always been a good teammate to me.

We were also very close back then in the old Astralis, so yeah, it's a good feeling. I'm just enjoying playing some Counter-Strike again; being out for three months or something like that, it's obviously taking a toll on you. I just wanted to get back and play Counter-Strike, because that's what I love to do.

A new piece that you haven't played with before is HooXi, who has led a bit of a resurgence in Astralis since he came in. How have you found playing under him?

I think he's a very determined leader. He has a lot of ideas and I think in general he is very motivated to get the best out of everything. Obviously we are all going to be here together until the end of the season, for me at least, so I think right now everyone is trying to get the best outcome possible.

That means getting the best results possible and also making sure that we improve as individuals, but also as a team throughout this process. So yeah, I have a good view of him… for now. [laughs]

Previously you said that it's nice to play with Danes again and speak your language. Is that a big part of why you chose Astralis?

The outcome is obviously that they had a player that went on medical leave, so for me it was a perfect opportunity to stay sharp. For now the only thing I know is that I'm going to be here until the end of the year, and from there I will see what happens with me as well. For now, it's just a good opportunity to stay in shape.

I want to develop as a player, make sure that I stay sharp, and also maybe get some insight into how people are playing CS and how they are thinking. This is the perfect opportunity for me as a player to try something different, maybe also get a little bit out of the comfort zone, trying some new things and new ways of playing. It's just a good way to actually try and renew myself into a better version of myself. That's what I'm going to try and focus on.

It's a lot of new positions, a lot of new T side positions, so it's kind of uncomfortable in that sense. I also know I'm a player that's capable of adapting, but I'm not going to do it overnight, so I might need a little bit of time to actually get adjusted into all my new positions. That's something I'm working hard on every single day, and it's definitely the goal to get comfortable as fast as possible.

Speaking about this tournament, it's your first since your return to the team. Are you aiming for a specific result or is it just about finding your comfort, as you said?

I think we all have this feeling that we know that if we play the best version of CS, we can make it to the playoffs. And when you make it to the playoffs, anything can really happen. I'm not saying we're going to go out and win the event right here and now, but I do believe that if the teams make it to the playoffs, that a lot of things can happen. That is the main goal for now.

For me individually, it is to make sure I get as much data and experience in my new positions, try to learn those positions as well as I can, and get as strong as I can in the shortest time possible.