have struggled to find their rhythm at the start of the
LEC Spring Split. Defeated by
this Monday, the Spanish side now holds a record of one win and two losses across the first two weeks of competition. Head Coach Tomás “
Melzhet” Campelos had already expressed dissatisfaction last week regarding the way his team was playing, and this week’s results suggest that KOI’s underlying issues have yet to be resolved.
Following this week’s defeat, the team’s support player Álvaro “Alvaro” Amo, who has just extended his contract with KOI until 2028, spoke with Sheep Esports about the difficulties the team has faced since the beginning of the season.
What is your first feeling after the game?
Álvaro “Alvaro” Amo: “I think, at least in the third game, we were just giving too much space for free all the time. I'm not really sure if it's either that we are really scared to hold the position, but I feel like I'm really disappointed and disgusted because I think that in that sense we are giving them a lot of opportunities that shouldn't exist. It triggers me.
You lost two games against two teams (Team Vitality and NAVI) that are seen as able to contest the top 3. Is it concerning for you at this time of the season?
Alvaro: I think that we will still make it to the playoffs. Overall, I see us as the better team. I also understand that in that sense, we're going to play three games in Madrid in the Roadshow against the three best teams. So I think that this week is going to be the most important one. But overall, I'm not really scared about the playoffs themselves. I think the level doesn't really concern me. How we are performing and how we are working as individuals is the thing that we need to change. But I think we should be better teams than NAVI and Vitality.
Tomás "Melzhet" Campelos was a bit upset when he spoke to us last week about how things were going. Do you feel like it's important and necessary sometimes that your coach has to speak like that to wake you all up?
Alvaro: I have been working with him for long time and I would rather prefer him to be like this than many coaches that are NPCs. He really is passionate about what he does and he really wants us to improve because he also has seen the potential and how good we are in other moments and basically he wants us to be on our peak. He's just pushing us and I think at that point, it's just either how you handle it. People can get surprised a bit, I saw in social media how things have been said, but I think it's pretty normal. I agree with him, I think we need to step up as individuals and as a team because what we are showing is nowhere close to our objectives for this split.
If we take it from the beginning of the year, what is it difficult for you and your team to improve and to progress in the sense that you would like to?
Alvaro: Practice overall hasn't been the best. This week at least, we step it up, we are doing better and we are taking it more seriously. We are studying the game as well, all together. But for example, something we had before that we were really good at when it comes to officials, even in scrims it was like terrible. But I think now we are not really going with the confidence that we can beat them or that we are better than them. It’s showing that we are taking so many rush decisions.
I can’t really describe it because I think from inside it's much easier to see as well, but I think we are playing really weirdly and of course when there is tension and pressure you're going to to do even more mistakes because you're not training with that pressure. I think we need to be better competitors in the sense that we need to step up in, for example, how we deal with the tension and the pressure. I think in this last game we didn't take the handle.
On the personal side, what would you say is the biggest problem right now in your gameplay?
Alvaro: I think I'm improving. We can discuss as well if it could be faster or not, but at the same time, for example, something that is really important is how you play around the vision. Of course, as the support, I'm the guy that is putting the wards, but also trying to involve myself with the team objective, knowing where we want to play, knowing when I need to put vision around mid or need to he put defensive vision, when I can be bit tricky or as well getting deep info so we can take decisions faster. Also something that I need to improve still is on tlaning phase because I think I can make a big difference compared to the LEC botlanes that I don't think are that strong on laning phase compared to when I go to international. So I would say those two points.
Movistar KOI announced that you were renewing with the team until 2028. Was it like an obvious choice to continue with the team or were you interested to look for an opportunity somewhere else?
Alvaro: I always think about all the possibilities themselves. But, being on this team with a project that I believe that will make me win the most, sharing things with Melzhet is probably the best thing that I can possibly do because he's the most passionate person that I have seen as well in esports. I think he has a really high ceiling and he can make me improve a lot. Of course, I think being in KOI already, I am not really sure how to express how I value it, but it's pretty fun of course, when we go to the Roadshows and we see all the fans cheering for us and everything, it also helps me as well to take this decision. I would say I'm mostly focused on where I think I can be the best version of myself and I think that being here more years is gonna be good to be it.
Do you feel like it's something that you can't find in another team right now?
Alvaro: If I go to another team, maybe I will see another version of myself and maybe I will see what areas I am weaker in because for example I will need to adapt to a new environment. Overall I think that I'm already aware of many situations or many things that happen. I have been in a project with Melzhet and with
(
David García) since 2022 summer. I already know as well how these people work and that's why I think being on this place is going to also push me further or harder to work. But you never know as well, maybe in another team, I will have to work harder because I will be surrounded with people that I don't know so I will push myself harder but I don't think so. I think my personality itself wouldn't be like that.
Recently, there is a lot of rumours about the Esports Nations Cup, is it something you’re interested by and want to take part?
Alvaro: I would like to participate, I want to represent Spain, and I think it can be a really cool tournament that I think is a good idea to basically bring the nations itself to competition. Of course in this case for example, Korea and China should be really strong. But I think it can be really fun for the spectator and for the viewers and also since it's a short tournament, I think it will be fun to try it out. So yeah, I'm looking forward.
If you had a Spain squad right now, where would you rank it compared to the other european and world nations?
Alvaro: I'm pretty confident. Overall France and Spain should be the best ones in Europe. I'm mostly concerned about either Korea, China and for example, Taiwan can have a decent roster with the CFO roster that they had before. So yeah, I would say those top three can be scary because the people there there are really good. Or for example Korea can bring the former T1 roster (DOFGK), but I think in Europe we should be a contender. I will need to think as well about the other rosters right now because I don't really remember, but I remember I saw it and I think we will be at least on the top 3 of Europe.”
