The
League of Legends EMEA Championship just kicked off its 2026 season with the opening match being the anticipated debut of
Los Ratones. Their match against
Fnatic marked the start of the new
LEC Versus and the first official test for the roster at the highest level of EMEA competitionâeven if the result did not go their way.
In an interview with Sheep Esports, LR top laner, Simon âBausâ Hofverberg, reflected on the teamâs first match and his own LEC debut. Baus shared what improves to make before the match against Karmine Corp Blue, and confidently reaffirmed his belief in himself and the teamâs ability to improve as the season goes on.
Thank you Baus for the interview today. First things first, today was your debut in the LEC and I assume it didn't end as you would have hoped. Any unfiltered thoughts about the game you'd like to share?
Simon "Baus" Hofverberg: "There's not much to say really. It's only one game, I believe we're going to bounce back.
What was it about Fnatic today that kind of caught you off your game?
Baus: I don't think it's much that they did. It's more like what we did wrong. We didn't play so well, personally, but I can only speak for myself. I guess I feel like I could have done a lot better and I should have beaten him.
Were there any moments in the game you believe you should have approached differently?
Baus: Yeah, mostly early game, I should play more aggressive. I felt like I had [Panagiotis "Empyros" Tantis], but then I maybe got a little bit nervous, maybe something, and then I didn't push my advantage and I had to pay for it later on in the game.
So can we expect a more aggressive early game from you tomorrow against KC Blue?
Baus: Definitely. Definitely.
One thing before we move on, IvĂĄn "Razork" MartĂn DĂaz said, on the post-match interview on broadcast, that today the game for him was a bit boring. How do you feel about that?
Baus: I mean, yeah. I wouldn't say that... I mean, if that's what he thinks, sure. I'm sure we'll get a chance in the future to beat his ass and make him pay for it. He's not winning next time.
What is the difference between SoloQ games and LEC on-stage games?
Baus: Just the pace of the game is a lot slower. Of course in the LEC there's not as many kills, people don't play as aggressive and rather play safe and not die than go for riskier plays. It's the biggest difference from SoloQ.
In your roster you have veteran LEC and even EU LCS players. Did they give you any kind of pep talk or maybe any suggestions on what to do, what to expect, ahead of todayâs debut?
Baus: I mean, I talk with my team every day and we always discuss and they've given me so much insight on what they think is good and they've helped a lot.
Is there any discussion you had that maybe you can share that is not too strategy-adjacent?
Baus: I mean, there's the basic one, like the breathing exercise, making sure you stay calm in a high-pressure situation. So this stuff a lot of people don't maybe know about, but there's a lot of stuff for your careers and exercises and stuff before a big event or thing that you should do to stay calm.
Can you maybe do a short pep-talk for aspiring LEC players who are grinding SoloQ right now? What would you say to them after your first match on the stage?
Baus: If you're grinding out SoloQ and you're having bad days or good days, it doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is your perception and your goal and how you reach that goal. So if you have a bad day, that doesn't matter. Your end goal is still the same and it's what you make of it that matters. So if you have a bad day, that doesn't have to be a bad day if you learn something from it.
You said before that you will be looking to play more aggressively in the early game. Is there maybe anything else that you've learned from today's match?
Baus: I mean, they were better than me, than us, today. I think next time I'll just play overall a little bit better. Hopefully I will try and groove my team a little bit. I don't want the games to be so âboringâ and so few kills. Next time, I'm probably going to make some stuff happen so we can get some action going.
Itâs easy to notice just how much your confidence affects you and your play. How important is that mindset, especially for you as a rookie, to step on the LEC stage?
Baus: I mean, it's very important to believe in yourself. If you don't believe in yourself, then no one should believe in you. I believe in myself and I believe I can do great things. If I don't have that mindset, I would never be here. So yeah, it's just if you have a mindset that you're going to make it, most likely you're going to make it.
Baus: I mean, it helps. I think if you don't believe in yourself, you will have a lot of rough days and hard days that you don't enjoy. Finding ways to appreciate yourself, the good and the bad things, and finding ways to love yourself, I think is very important this life, especially when there's so much negativity in the world.
One year ago you had an interview with Sheep Esports in which you said: âevery top player in the LEC is shaking right now because they know that I'm going to take this spot.â After standing across from Fnatic and Empyros today, do you still believe in that statement?
Baus: Yeah, of course I think so. Empyros played very well today. I think he's a very good player, but he's not better than me. I'm definitely better. I don't see a single LEC top player being better than me, but he played well today and he's a good player.
What are some factors that your fans can use as facts when defending you online on this? What are the things that make you the best top player in the LEC right now?
Baus: Well, I mean, I'm just mechanically gifted, by far the best mechanical top player. I mean, this has been proven. I stream every day so people can just tune in and watch my incredible mechanics and just the way I play the game is superior to everyone else's. So the proof is all online.
As a last question, is there anything else that you would like to add after today's match and ahead of your many others in the LEC as the âbest top laner in the leagueâ?
Baus: This is just game one, no big deal. This happens to the best. We're going to get our stuff together. We're going to come back stronger tomorrow and then come back even stronger today after that. And then next week we're going to be a force to be reckoned with. The best team in LEC by far."
