After an important victory against Aegis at the LFL Days in Nice, Matias "Matias" Manchin-Opheltes, player for GameWard, is disappointed with his performance. Satisfied to have beaten one of his former teammates from TDS, the botlaner believes that he still needs to progress to reach the playoffs.
| You just won a very important match against Aegis. How do you feel after that game?
Matias: "Not very good, I made some ridiculous mistakes. Well, it would have been even worse if we had lost. For now, we are at 3-5 and in sixth place, tied in the standings. For now, nothing is decided, and we are progressing, so I'm not too worried about the rest of the split. If we had lost today, then it would have been tough, but in the end, everything is fine."
| This year, you are stepping up to the LFL. How do you feel about this first year in the league? Do you consider yourself a top among the botlaners?
Matias: "From a botlane perspective, I don't think we play very well together with Steeelback. We don't click together, we're not yet sufficiently connected. So no, we're clearly not one of the best botlane."
"From a more individual perspective, it's okay. I had some cringe-worthy games, but overall, I'm progressing."
| The roster is a mix of rookies and veterans. How is the atmosphere in the team?
Matias: "It's going great. We don't have any issues, we don't have people tilting, so on those points, it's good. Plus, I'm with Fara, a coach who has known me for a long time. I am very satisfied with our project."
"We are setting several systems in place and starting to create team play. We are getting some positive results, but it's not enough yet; it really takes time for the players to soak all of this in."
| This year, you are playing with none of your former teammates. Are there any players who have impressed you?
Matias: "Yes, definitely. It's surprising because Zicssi can play any champion in scrims, and it works. It's really his thing, and maybe we should use him more often."
| In your opinion, what do you still need to work on specifically to reach the top of the LFL?
Matias: "I think mechanically, we still have a lot of work to do, especially for team fights. We lost too many games due to poor execution of team fights."
"Maybe the early games aswell, but I'm not sure because it's going pretty well in scrims. In official games, it's more complicated, but I think it's also because of our drafts. The early game and the team fights, I think those are really the two points we need to focus on."
| Do you think the team has suffered from stress during official matches?
Matias: "Maybe, I'm not sure. Personally, I don't feel stressed when we're in the game. Even when we're on stage, I don't feel stressed. So no, it's not a factor that has personally bothered me. For others, I don't know."
| What are GameWard's plans in the immediate future? What are the team's expectations?
Matias: "Qualify for the playoffs and come out as winners. I think the number one goal is to continue to progress. By the time we qualify for the playoffs, we will have already progressed, and then we will continue to do so."
| For the next match week, you will play against KC. How do you feel about this matchup?
Matias: "Very confident. I have a 100% win rate against former TDS players, so I think I can't lose against a former TDS player. I have no rivalry with Maynter, on the opposite, I adore him. But I can't ruin my win rate, we have to win."
Photo Credit: Elliot Le Corre
