Placed third in a well-crafted top three that stands clearly apart from the rest of the pack,
opened their LEC Summer Split this Friday, July 24, at the Adidas Arena Roadshow in Paris, only to come up short in a tight 1–2 series against G2 Esports.
Captain Javier "
" Prades stopped by our mic after the match, reflecting on the do-or-die feeling surrounding this season, the arrival of a more realistic mindset for a roster that may be playing its final split together after two years of competition, and MKOI’s determination to finally break their losing streak against KC and G2 in high-stakes moments throughout 2026.
How has your return to the league been after competing at the EWC, and how do you view the start of this Summer Split?
Elyoya: This Summer Split... It's our last chance to prove that we are capable of winning. I think so far we have had quite a bad year. We failed to qualify for First Stand and the Mid-Season Invitational, so we are really disappointed as a group. Even at the Esports World Cup, our results were quite deplorable. We see this Summer as a chance to redeem ourselves, and show how good we can be as a group.
How is the team's atmosphere after the toplane situation, with Ivan "NightSlayer" Bilous joining the team in Berlin? Has it created any tension within the team?
Elyoya: Not really, actually. I think Myrwn (Alex Pastor Villarejo) is really maturing in that aspect, and obviously he knows that... In the end, if he keeps on performing well and doing things well, he's going to keep his job. We’re still a team, you know? We are not going to start excluding him or treat him in any wrong way, of course. So I would say the environment is still really good.
Has the results thus far this year impacted you in any ways mentally?
Elyoya: I would say I’m mostly feeling a lot of frustration. I know I could have done some things better, and we probably could have qualified to First Stand and MSI, so...
Yeah, still a lot of things to improve and to change, but now is not the time to feel sorry or feel frustrated. It’s time to perform and to keep on learning. And I trust in myself and the group that we have that we are going to make it.
How have talks went during your recent break following your last official match? What changes have you made to bounce back?
Elyoya: The talks have just been realistic, honestly. We haven't met our expectations, so we were just realistic with each other, and it was quite... an honest talk.
But these unfiltered talks are needed, and our attitude coming into this split has changed so much in terms of how we want to approach scrims and everything. It's just... it's our last chance. We cannot waste it.
How do you view the LEC landscape heading into Summer, with many teams undergoing changes?
Elyoya: The league is going to be decided between us, G2, and KC. That's not going to change. I think KC and G2 are looking really strong, both of them. They come with having more international training, so it's on us now to prove ourselves. We're going to have to put in the work, and I really think that if we do things well, we are going to be unstoppable in Europe.
Do you feel like the teams outside of the top three are currently at a lower level and unlikely to challenge for those spots?
Elyoya: I think so. Still, we won’t take any match for granted, especially in the regular season. They are still really strong teams in their own rights, and I don't know, maybe they actually put in the work and they make improvements really fast and they can catch up. But as of right now, I don't think they are going to be threatening any of the top three spots.
In your eyes, the goals should still be the LEC Summer trophy, regardless of recent results, right?
Elyoya: Of course, our objective is to win it all. I cannot compete if I'm not aiming to win the trophy. But realistically, we are going to have to work really hard this split, and we are going to have to really make some adjustments in the way that we practice and the way we learn because the reality is that right now, G2 and KC have both beaten us, over and over. We need to put in the work. I think winning the split is still very achievable for us.
You’ve been in Paris for a few weeks now. How has your time been? Have you had the chance to explore the city between events?
Elyoya: We had to go back to Berlin unfortunately, I didn't get to explore much of Paris. But I've come in the past. It's really close to Spain, so I love Paris. It's a really nice city. Everyone has to come once in their lifetime to see it. It's just too emblematic of a place, you can’t miss that chance. Food and everything. France is the only country that can really compete against Spain. I'm really happy to be here in France.
Well you did beat France in the Football World Cup…
Elyoya: For sure, the 2-0. That one won't be forgotten.
Elyoya: Yeah, for sure. It's going to be such a good chance to prove and redeem ourselves. Obviously, playing in front of a large crowd is always nice.”
