MIBR Mazino: "I will consider it a failure if we don't make Champions"

MIBR kept its Champions dream alive after defeating Evil Geniuses in the VCT Americas playoffs on Saturday, August 29. With the result, the Brazilian organization moved one series away from reaching the playoffs in Brazil. Making the tournament’s Grand Final is the only remaining scenario that would allow the team to qualify for Champions.

In an exclusive interview with Sheep Esports, Roberto “Mazino” Rivas reflected on MIBR’s performance against Evil Geniuses and the pressure surrounding the team’s Champions run. The IGL also discussed his transition into the leadership role, MIBR’s adaptation to the current two-Duelist meta, the team’s struggles in playoff matches, and the upcoming series against LOUD.

Roberto “Mazino” Rivas: “Not completely satisfied, mostly because of Lotus. On Sunset and Haven, we played well. Of course, we can improve a lot of things, but I think overall we played well. On Lotus, we just got too desperate sometimes, and we were making silly mistakes that we shouldn't be making.

Mazino: I would say that doesn't change anything. Of course, we know what we need to do to get to Champions, but it's always been our objective to be in the finals, win the finals, and beat any team that comes to us. Of course, it's really important, but it doesn't change the objectives we had the whole year.

Mazino: Yeah, I will consider it a failure if we don't make Champions. In part, it has been a failure because we only qualified for EWC, but we didn't qualify for Santiago or London, and we know that our team is built to be on the international stage. In part it has been a failure already, but it can be saved by getting to Champions, having a good run, and trying to win Champions.

Mazino: It has been really hard, really tough. At the start, it was difficult. I remember it was literally before the playoff for London, and it was really hard. But after that, a couple weeks of training and I got kind of used to it. It was kind of natural. I wouldn't say I'm a natural leader 100%, but in-game, yes. I talk a lot, I have a lot of ideas, and I impose my ideas and just call it a day. But I still like being the leader outside the game, and I have been improving a little, step by step. That's the hardest part for me. The other part is improving every day, in every match, the way I call, the ideas that I have, how I do it, and so on.

Mazino: Yeah, I agree with that 100%. At the start of the year, we were a square-thinking team. We had the strat and we would do it 100%, step by step. We were a step-by-step team, not really in the flow. After the Santiago qualifier, we noticed that we need to embrace the good things we have. We have two of the best Duelists in the world, and we just need to embrace that and play around that. Of course, play around the chaos and play around the good stuff because we have players that can literally win the round solo. There's an example. There are some maps where it's hard to keep doing that all the time, for example, Lotus, but we still maintain that kind of play.

Mazino: I think it's kind of the same stuff. Riot interviewed me after this match against Evil Geniuses, and I said that it's about being calm in the key moments, in the important moments, just being calm in the chaos. That's the most important thing for us, I would say, and for any team in this meta. We just need to use our experience to our favor and be calm in situations that are hard for other players.

Mazino: I wouldn't say it was that hard. Of course, there are some situations where the players just do their own stuff. They have their own read, and we see afterward if it was worth it to do it or not. But I would say the guys are really good listeners. They listen to me a lot and they trust me, and I can feel that. I would say that it wasn't that hard, really. Of course, it's always a challenge, but we are good at it. We only, as I said, lack that calmness in the key moments of the round, like the later rounds.

Mazino: I would say that they are saying that to be confident in themselves, and that's all right. We scrim a lot against each other, so we know each other a lot. They know us and we know them, so we need to play around that.”