NiP.eStar have qualified for the semifinals of the
Esports World Cup Rocket League tournament after defeating
Gentle Mates 4-2 in front of their home French crowd. In the semifinals, the Swedish team will face
Spacestation Gaming (SSG), who defeated Shopify Rebellion earlier.
It was after this match that Cristian “
crr” Fernández Raigal joined us for an interview to discuss the series, what it feels like to win against the French fans, his thoughts on 1v1 and 2v2, and his opinion on the Spanish roster for the Esports Nations Cup.
What do you think about today's performance?
crr: “It was insane. We had a really good performance as a team. It's finally the time that we find our form as a team on LAN because in the last two Majors, we weren't really ourselves. I feel really happy that we were able to do it and show that we are really a top team in the world.
Ole "oaly." Doorn told me yesterday that he wanted to play Gentle Mates in the Grand Final. You ended up facing them in the quarterfinals. How did you approach this matchup?
crr: To be honest, I was really nervous about it because last time we played Gentle Mates, we lost in Game 7. It was a really good match against them too. But it's just another game.
They're a really good team. I knew it was going to be a hard match, but we were confident. I know
oaly., having Archie (
Archie Pickthall) as his ex-teammate on that team, was confident about it. I just wanted to make sure that we were playing well as a team and as a unit because that's what we need at LAN. We did better than them in that.
How does it feel to silence the French crowd, especially as a Spanish player?
crr: It's nice because I've been against the French crowd a lot of times, and most of the time I just lost. So this time, it's special.
Do you feel it would be special if you beat Karmine Corp or Vitality?
crr: Yeah, of course. As a Spaniard, I would love to beat all the French teams. But this time it was Gentle Mates. If we win it all, I suppose there's going to be another French team that we play against because they're really good.
I hope that time comes again because it's really insane. The way they cheer and the noise in the crowd when they're there is completely different from these other teams. It's really special to play against them.
Before that, you have a semifinal against Spacestation Gaming. What would you say to the SSG players ahead of tomorrow's semifinal?
crr: I don't think I have to really say anything. They just have to watch us play, and they know everything they need to know about us. There's nothing I can say to them.
Considering NiP's performances at the two previous Majors, would you say that this is already a successful event for you guys?
crr: Of course, it's so much better. I wouldn't say it's successful at all because, of course, we all want to win. But passing the barrier of the top eight at a LAN as a team is a really big step. We're ready to go further in the tournament, so I'm just really happy that we managed to get into the top four.
This is your first time competing at EWC besides the Gamers8. How have you experienced this competition?
crr: It's insane. From the first moment I put my feet in here, everything that is set up is perfect. It just feels like a completely different tournament. It's on another level. That really helps and gives you more energy and passion to be here because you feel like you're in a different world, a different environment. That's really nice, and they did really well with that. The players feel that this is a really big tournament.
You finished second at Gamers8 four years ago. How do you compare Gamers8 back then with the EWC now? What are the main differences, both level-wise and in terms of the event itself?
crr: In terms of the event itself, it's completely different because this time it's in Paris, while the other time was in Saudi Arabia. It was completely different, but it has improved a lot. Everything looks a lot better.
In terms of the level,
four years ago there was a really good level, but this time it's completely different. Now all the players and teams are completely different, and it's just so hard. At the same time, it's more fun because everything is more equal. There's not that big of a difference between some teams, so I really enjoy playing here.
There was a format at Gamers8 with 1v1, 2v2 and 3v3. What did you think about it? Do you feel like it was a good option and should maybe be reintroduced?
crr: I loved it when it happened, to be honest. I hope we can have another tournament with a similar format. But I prefer to play three, to be honest. It's my favorite game mode, and I really loved that format, so I wouldn't mind playing it again in another tournament. That would be nice. I would be happy. It was fun.
You've gone through quite a few different stages in your career since finishing second at Gamers8. How would you describe your journey from then to getting back to this level of competition?
crr: It was a really hard and troubled journey because I moved to NA, then I had to play one season in Salt Lake because of Visa's issues, then go back to NA again, and now come back to Europe. It was really hard, but I already have a lot of experience that has helped me right now, and I learned a lot from it. Right now, I have a lot of knowledge that I didn't have before.
I think everything worked out for the best. Everything helped me, especially my career. I don't see many other players moving as much as I did. It really helped me, so I'm really grateful to have been able to do it, and I'm just really happy.
This is your biggest LAN placement in three years, since the Major in San Diego. Do you think you're at your peak from an individual perspective?
crr: Yeah, I am. Of course, I've improved mechanically and in terms of gameplay, but the thing I've improved the most is my mentality. Right now, I'm completely different as a player mentally, and I think that's the thing that's getting me through and helping me reach higher placements, go back to Europe, and stay at the highest level. It's all about the mental.
Spain will have a very good roster at the ENC with players like you, Gaspar "stizzy" Andres, and Sergio "AtomiK" Cortés. How strong do you think Spain will be at this event?
crr: We'll have to see. Individually, we have really good players like Stizzy, AtomiK and me. We can be a really good team in this ENC, but we really need to be able to play as a team and understand each other in-game really well to perform how we should. So there will be work to do by that time, but we're going to be one of the top four nations in that tournament, pretty sure. I'm hoping for that.
More and more good Spanish players are emerging. How would you explain the rise of the Spanish scene?
crr: I would say there aren't really many Spanish players who are able to outperform others or really be considered among the best in the region or the world.
With me and stizzy, we're able to put Spanish players on the world’s top level. I'm really proud that we're able to do that because I think it's going to help other younger Spanish players get motivated and want to grind. Maybe in some time, we can see another Spanish player at the top, and that would be insane. I would love that.
More generally, what has it been like to be back in Europe and play in front of a European crowd again?
crr: Being back in Europe was nice because, to be honest, I was already a little bit burned out from being outside, in NA, and dealing with some of those moments. There's a lot of trouble with not seeing your family and friends.
Being able to enjoy the game a lot more again helped me because, as I said, I was already a little bit burned out. The crowd in Europe is insane, and I just feel at home, so it's better.
Looking back at your time abroad, what would you say was the biggest highlight and the biggest takeaway?
crr: There were a few tournaments in NA where we made the top four, then won a regional, and finished second, and it was pretty much a continuous run of good regional results. It was the top four, then we won, then we made the finals. I think that was the part of my time in NA where I did the greatest.
What was the main takeaway you took from NA that has helped you become a better player now?
crr: Every region has different gameplay and a different style. Being able to compete against them really helped me now that I'm back in Europe to understand the game a lot more and maybe have an advantage over some players in Europe. The gameplay and everything is completely different, so it helped me a lot.”
