f0rest: "Good chances beating Na´Vi"

After finishing the group stage at IEM5 Global Challenge Shanghai, we sat down with fnatic member Patrik "f0rest" Lindberg for a short interview about what happened during the day and what is to come in the next days.

Describe your performance in the group stage where only TyLoo.raw managed to play a close match against you. Was it them playing good or you not giving 100%?

As you mentioned our first two opponents were very easy games for us, both played on nuke which I think benefits us more than the Asians. Having such easy games in the group stage can somehow be bad as well, you think you are unbeatable in a way so it kinda came as a shock how surprisingly good TyLoo.raw were, which was a good wakeup call coming into the semi-finals.

First place in the group meant you would face Na´Vi in the semi-final. Would you rather have faced them in the overall final or do you believe one of the Chinese teams is justified to be one of the contenders in the final?

Would have been fun playing them in the final, clash of the titans style, but i watched some games in the group stage and it really looked like TyLoo is a worthy opponent in the final if they manage to get there.

It's been a constant fight against the Ukrainians in 2010 so far. This tournament format allows them to remove de_nuke against you. Will that be vital for the outcome of the match or what can we expect of the match?

Looking over the past few games against Na´Vi, we are up 4-2 this year, we did win last game on de_nuke which supposedly is their worst map, but them removing nuke won't have a huge impact on us I still think we have very good chances beating them on whatever map.

Moving past Na´Vi will grant you a spot in the final. Regardless of who you will face, do you think it will be a tough challenge to face a Chinese team on home soil in a final like this?

We always seem to have problems against the Chinese teams in Asia, I don't know really why that is, but they are a totally different team than if they were to play in Europe, having their home crowd cheering for them and all the other benefits that comes when you're playing in your home country, so I think it's going to be a tough game regardless of which Chinese team ends up in the final.

Gux told us at GameGune that the team is based much more on aim now that he's back, rather than tactics. Do you fancy headshots over throwing flashes or how does the playing style fit you?

I tend to throw my nades whenever I get the chance to, haha. I do like the more aim-oriented playing style that we have right now, kinda like back in 2009, suits me much better.

People have been questioning how long this fnatic lineup can stick together. You have been a member of the team for a very long time now, if the team can continue producing the results you do, would you even consider a personal retirement?

If we keep having good results like this, I wouldn't consider a retirement anytime soon, hopefully this lineup will be around for a long time.

Lindberg and fnatic will be facing off against Natus Vincere in the semi-final at IEM5 Global Challenge Shanghai, a match that will be streamed directly to you via ESL TV from 08:30CET.