Despite a difficult start to the split, Supa and MAD Lions KOI remain confident about their chances in the LEC 2024 Spring Split. Currently sitting at a 2 - 4 score, the team is now aiming to lock in their playoff spot this week. Regardless of the strength of MDK's schedule, in this exclusive interview, Supa discusses his thoughts and expectations for the future.
MDK playing in the 2024 LEC Spring Split. Credit: Michal Konkol/Riot Games
| You just took an important win against Rogue. How are you feeling after this performance on Jinx?
Supa: "I'm really happy we took the win. It’s really important for us to make playoffs, and it’s our goal at the moment. We don’t really care about what place we finish in though."
| The start of the split hasn’t been the best for MDK. You are now sitting at 2-4, how are you feeling about the spring split’s first two weeks?
Supa: "I mean, I’m pretty happy with how our team is doing at the moment. People will think that our results have been a bit catastrophic and we’re doing way worse than last split but, it’s not true. I think that we are in our best form and we’ve really improved our early and mid games. We just need to prove it in officials."
"We have the level, but we are having some problems translating our results into LEC matches, it’s a matter of time. Last split, we were also struggling in the regular season but, when the playoffs came, we just popped off."
| What would you attribute your losses to? We saw in your match against GIANTX that the team seemed to struggle closing out games in the late game perhaps?
Supa: "Most likely I’d say we are lacking confidence and we’re doubting ourselves too much. We’re making easy concepts and aspects of the game much harder than they need to be."
"Everyone in the team knows how to play and, we live the game every day. It’s really stupid, we have a clear idea of what needs to be done but, we just throw every single game, maybe except for our game against G2. I think that against them, we were in a fine spot but we trolled."
"It’s difficult but, if we played like we did in scrims... If we played like we didn’t care, we would show our best level. We need to be more careless, enjoy the game, and overthink less."
| You mentioned in an interview with Eros that you had a lot of stress joining the LEC and even suffered panic attacks. With the Winter Split behind you, how are you now dealing with your entrance into the league? Do you take precautions outside of the game in terms of healthy habits as well?
Supa: "My entire career, I’ve had problems with pressure and how to manage it well. I’ve always tried avoiding that pressure, playing the way I wanted to. Since joining the LEC though, I’ve worked a lot on my mental, seeing how other players manage it."
"I now understand a lot more and I never feel this way anymore. I enjoy playing so much. I’m turbo confident right now honestly, I’m really living the dream."
| What is the thing you've enjoyed the most about joining the LEC so far?
Supa: "Being able to play well against the best players in Europe and exceeding the expectations of fans. I look at myself and my level of play and, I feel like I’m just 10 steps ahead of every other ADC. I am super confident in myself. Having this feeling and being able to prove that I’m better than them, that’s what I enjoy the most."
| Do you see yourself as the clear best ADC? What sets you apart from your competition?
Supa: "I’m by far the best. I think I’m better at laning, team-fights, macro, micro... I just worked so hard for this, you know? I’m not lying when I say that I’ve worked every single day for the past four years to be here. I play more than everyone else does and I’m confident in saying all of that. It’s just about work ethic."
"When I play my game, follow my routine, and stay calm, I have huge confidence in myself. Maybe if I’m missing one of these things, then I can be beaten. I won’t lie that I have my weaknesses, but I’m working on them every day. I just think that I understand team-fighting and laning better than everyone else. It’s how I see the game, how I was taught by Melzhet."
| What is the most important thing you do to improve yourself? What advice would you give any rookie ADCs wanting to join the LEC?
Supa: "I think it can change depending on the person but, the way I see it, the first thing you need is great ambitions. If you don’t have that, you can’t be the best. Being a pro player requires that you put in a ton of hours and motivate yourself to play every day but, it’s this hunger that will help you the most. When you have it and put yourself into question every day, ask yourself how you can be better, and wonder what you could have done more, this is when you’ll truly improve."
"I’ve seen players for example that are 2-0 and end up losing their games because another player was inting, they think they can’t do anything. You have to think about how to impact the game, what you can do more to win, how you can carry your teammates, how you can come-back from being behind... You can always create fights and opportunities and it’s that hunger that will allow you to find thousands of windows during your games."
"FunPlus Phoenix has been one of the most famous examples of a team that could play its very own meta. You can win games in more than one way and, that team did it best; they could win with their own meta. In my eyes, this is the beauty of this game, and being the best, that’s what makes me want to play League of Legends."
| I heard that you guys had a Worlds clause right? Winning Worlds is the end goal.
Supa: "If I didn’t aim to be the very best, I wouldn’t compete. I’ve told Melzhet about this mindset when we competed together in the past. I’ve had issues with a lot of ex-teammates in the past that just did not have this hunger, it tilted me so much. Why would you want to play if you’re not doing it to be the best? Young players don’t really understand that people have different mindsets but, it’s still my way of seeing the game, and always has been."
| Do you think that regions like Europe or North America lack this hunger? It seems like a lot of people think that winning Worlds is completely unobtainable.
Supa: "For sure. I have the feeling that, if someone in Europe wins Worlds, then people will start believing. This happens in a lot of other sports as well. If no team from our region can win it, then no one will believe but, I want to be the one to get out of that box. I think that I have what it takes and, when we will win Worlds, a lot of people in Europe will wake up and reach their full potential. This also applies to North America obviously."
| Next week, you are taking on Team Heretics, Fnatic, and Team BDS. What are your thoughts on these matches? Are you guys confident?
Supa: "At the moment, our goal is playoffs. The moment we lock in our spot, then my objective is complete for the regular season. I think that we can beat anyone; we are the best team in the league. I’m expecting our next matches to go better than today and the first two weeks. We’ll be insane if we reach our full potential which we’ve displayed in scrims. I guess I’ll say 3-0."
| Do you have any immediate plans for the next few days? Just going to keep practicing and playing solo queue?
Supa: "It’s a little weird. Tomorrow, we have a free day but, I will keep playing more solo queue matches. After that, we’ll have a lot of work to prepare for our next three matches. We’ll work harder than any other team."
| Any last words for your fans before closing out?
Supa: "Thank you so much to all our fans from Spain who have been cheering for us. I really appreciate all the love we’re getting, even when things are going badly. I’m so happy to see that everyone seems to really be starting to believe in us. I know some people will talk badly about us because of our recent results but, I know our fans are here, so things are good. Thank you everyone."
Header Photo Credit: Michal Konkol/Riot Games
