Despite
taking a game off
in the first round of the
LEC 2026 Summer Playoffs,
have now fallen to the Lower Bracket, with their eyes set on their upcoming matchup against
. While Madrid represented a valiant effort from the squad, there is no room for doubt or mistakes, as GIANTX must now avoid an early return to Berlin and fight to secure one of the final tickets to Nice.
In an exclusive interview, midlaner
sat down with
Sheep Esports to discuss the team’s stumble in the Upper Bracket, what it felt like playing in front of Spanish fans, what to expect from their upcoming matchup, and his message to the GIANTX community.
You had a relatively close series against Karmine Corp. I feel like in the second game you had to pour your heart into it to win that game. How do you evaluate the series overall?
Adam "Jackies" Jeřábek: “I mean, obviously we lost, so it wasn't the best. Going into it, we knew that KC was a strong opponent, right? On paper, all five of them are goated. All five of them were in the first All-Pro team. Still, I didn't go into the series with a negative mindset. They have shown some weaknesses in their gameplay, but we didn't really... I don't know, we didn't abuse them. And yeah, they played well. I’m happy we at least won one game, but that's not really an achievement. So it is what it is.
Did you expect the Vel'Koz support in Game 4?
Jackies: We knew that
plays ranged supports, but in the end, it’s really hard to predict exactly what to expect from a draft. In solo queue, he plays Zoe, Lux, Vel'Koz...
In hindsight, when we picked Kalista-Renata, we probably should have expected it. But yeah, it's hard to predict these things, and well played to him.
I imagine that when playing in big stages like this one it can be difficult to stay composed and make decisions without letting your emotions take over. Do you think that played a role in today's loss?
Jackies: I don't think so. I think we actually played pretty well, taking these elements into factor. Personally—I don't know about the rest of the team—I'm quite happy to play on these stages. I don't really feel the crowd during games. Of course, before and after, I do. But yeah, I don't really mind it.
The only problems are like the small stuff, right? Like the headsets being too loud or not being used to wearing those specific brands. So it can take a game or two to adjust. Other than that, I don't really mind it. I think it even helped us to play a bit better, even though we lost.
Did you feel extra pressure as the only Spanish organization here, with the crowd supporting you?
Jackies: For sure, we're not used to the whole stadium being for us, right? It feels a bit bad that we disappointed them, but in the end, I think the pressure was more so on Karmine Corp. If I’m fully honest, it would have been a bit shameful for them to lose their Worlds spot to GIANTX, right? On the contrary, it would have been super hype for us to win. So I think they played with more pressure, especially since there was this crowd disadvantage on stage. But yeah, I feel bad about disappointing the fans because we couldn't beat KC, so it is what it is.
Knowing I imagine he has brought a lot to the roster, not only in-game but also through his personality. How much has his and ’s arrivals changed the team atmosphere?
Jackies: The biggest improvement was definitely towards our team’s resilience in-game. This split, I feel like we were much more prone to come backs in game because, with the roster changes we made, everyone knows the stakes. The Spanish blood came in.
and
are still great players, and I think Noah is for sure stronger in the laning phase. It's not a secret, everyone knows that. But anyway, in the mental aspects, for sure we are better, and it is something we needed in our team.
And yeah, I think I'm still surprised with Flakked and Oscarinin, how they came in. I was expecting their gameplay to be a bit worse considering they had a break, but they surprised me. They play well.
What are your thoughts on the matchup against NAVI in the Lower Bracket?
Jackies: We usually lose to them in the regular season and then beat them in playoffs. I feel like that's the meta we are doing against NAVI, so I guess we can continue on that.
They shouldn't be underestimated. I think they are a decent team, but at the same time, they are for sure not stronger than KC. So I think it's going to be an even series, but I think we have for sure what it takes, and I think we can even 3-0 them.
What will the team focus on and improve from now on?
Jackies: It's hard to tell, but I think the focus now is always the classic and boring answer, right? Go back, try to rewatch and learn as much as we can, and then scout NAVI, I guess. That's like the only thing.
KC and G2 have the luxury of time, since they both locked Worlds and have a week of break, so they can focus more on improving. But for us, every match from now on is do-or-die. It’s about perfecting what we know, lessening our mistakes, and playing around our opponents’ strengths and weaknesses.
Lastly, do you have a message for the GIANTX community? For Carzzy?
Jackies: As always, I appreciate all the GX fans. I saw a lot of them on the right side of the stage, I think. There were a lot of trumpets. So I appreciate them, even the MKOI fans that came, because I'm pretty sure there were a lot of them.
So yeah, I'm sorry to disappoint you. Loser bracket run is the classic for us, but I think this time we can do some damage and even go to Worlds, so just don't lose hope.
And to Carzzy... I mean, he's gonna get fucked by MKOI anyway, so...”
