Opinion: insani, MIBR and how FURIA can rebuild if KSCERATO leaves

This Brazilian roster shuffle is going to be mental.

According to gAuLes on his stream, MIBR are looking at KSCERATO and yuurih, who may become available once FalleN retires.

Our very own Pedro Brauner mentioned on the Win Condition podcast that molodoy might end up at Spirit next year too, which suggests that FURIA might just be falling apart entirely.

In the last week or so, it’s also been reported that MIBR are close to signing tomaszin for brnz4n - which is absolutely not a straight swap at all, suggesting that tomaszin is more likely to become a star for this team. In fact, his roles are closer to insani’s, who has been rumoured to be departing MIBR. Are you keeping up?

As always, all of these graphics can be found in the Stats Lab, powered by the brilliant mind of Sam 'LuzRaposa' Carder.

With brnz4n likely out, and insani maybe leaving (he will have his pick of destinations, one would imagine), that could potentially leave MIBR with tomaszin, nqz, LNZ and venomzera. One imagines that might leave a nice little spot for KSCERATO, which would make for a very intriguing team. If they could keep hold of insani, we’d be talking about a Brazilian superteam - but the singing of tomaszin would make much less sense.

KSCERATO is closer role-wise to venomzera than the outgoing brnz4n, but he’s very versatile and fits in as a sort of hybrid support/second star, and is also one of the best players in the world in those roles. He and venomzera can dovetail those positions, leaving tomaszin with a lot of pressure on his shoulders to deliver.

Again, with insani, we’d be all over this team. If someone can get insani and KSCERATO in the same team we will fawn over them. In fact, if FURIA can convince insani to join them, I think KSCERATO would probably stay.

insani might just be one of the scariest duelists in the entire world.

With tomaszin, we’re a little less bullish. We think this team can be top 10 - any team with KSCERATO in it is a potentially top team - but we’re not going to go any further than ‘it can be’. It depends how tomaszin lands - he’s been excellent on BESTIA for quite a while, but that doesn’t always translate when moving up a tier or two to play against the best in the world.

Where does this leave FURIA? If molodoy leaves, FalleN retires and KSCERATO goes (two of which are hypothetical at this point in time), they’ll maybe have yuurih (gAuLes suggests MIBR are interested, and we’ve heard that he and KSCERATO are a package deal, so maybe they won’t) and maybe YEKINDAR, though you’d imagine one or both might leave.

If, and it’s a big if, insani is available and they’re serious about maintaining their position at the top of the Brazilian food chain, he is an absolute must-buy.

If he’s not, FURIA have three choices. Give up their entire identity as a Brazilian team, sign the best Brazilians they can and make it work with two overseas players again, or give up entirely. The second choice seems most likely, and most palatable.

But who? Let’s assume it’s a clean slate, how do you even build a Brazilian core to challenge MIBR, never mind the world, without KSCERATO?

Rebuilding FURIA

Brazil has something of a paucity of AWPers and IGLs, often because they combine into one and end up not brilliant as either. Supposedly, there is a chance YEKINDAR stays and is currently being groomed as the IGL, which I actually quite like. This would maintain some continuity, with a coach and IGL core that know each other and have some familiarity.

The absolute best thing you can do is sign insani. We’ve heard it suggested that as long as they have at least one Brazilian star, for their image and sponsors, that’ll be fine. We’re not sure on that, but if you can’t keep KSCERATO you have to sign him.

If not, you have to find a new Brazilian star player. Good luck.

Now I’m super high on koala. I think no matter what FURIA do in their rebuild, I’d like to get him involved. He’s a support player who massively overperforms in tough roles for an upcoming team, and while he’s not KSCERATO (who is?) he would be an excellent addition and I think deserves the step up. But that’s not a flashy signing, and I think you’d need a Brazilian star or core to carry the flag.

latto and dumau are the obvious star rifler choices if KSCERATO and insani aren’t possible. Both are excellent performers on a top 10 team, and would alongside koala build a Brazilian core. With YEKINDAR and a presumably European AWPer, the team would be set.

That’s going to cost a ton of money, however. Brazilian team buyouts are insane at the best of times, and for direct rivals who are flying high, it’s going to cost you some serious wonga. They might have to give them Neymar.

There are other options, though. Two Brazilians, another Americas player and two Europeans would keep them in the Americas region for regional qualifiers. malbsMd has been a part of Brazilian teams before and speaks the language, while also being a. An excellent player and b. Affable and fluent in English. EliGE is also capable of speaking Portuguese, though whether he’d get on with YEKINDAR again is unknown. These two open up the door for a full Portuguese speaking team - something like EliGE, malbsMd, koala, lux (presuming Luminosity inevitably fall apart) and… erm… saadzin?

That doesn’t look like a FURIA team to me.

Another potential Americas player who can be a real, genuine superstar level player is luchov, who has looked like the next big thing on 9z. Whether he can be coaxed - and whether having a superstar Argentinian is acceptable to the Brazilians - is another matter, but they could do a lot worse than luchov in star roles.

I think two Europeans, malbsMd and two Brazilians could work, though. YEKINDAR, malbs, SunPayus, koala, latto/dumau? The roles are a bit weird, and YEKINDAR will have to transition to being a more traditional IGL, but there’s an idea there that sort of works.

Obviously the absolute creme de la creme would be insani, KSCERATO, YEKINDAR, malbs and an AWPer (I like SunPayus for availability reasons and him being one of the better AWPers around). I think that would be wildly expensive, incredibly unlikely (again, KSCERATO and yuurih are a package deal) and also the most fun team to watch in the entire world.

FURIA are being forced into a full rebuild, and it seems MIBR are too. MIBR could get KSCERATO, tomaszin and yuurih, but lose insani. FURIA look like losing at least four players.

Where else could insani go, though?

My immediate thought was G2, who are a very solid team but do lack some serious X factor firepower, and insani is just that. He’s rated incredibly high in our data, and though I think he can be inconsistent he’s clearly extremely gifted. FaZe would adore him, and he’s really got that flashy style and explosivity that you tie in to the FaZe name, but not sure they can afford him. He could be a long term replacement for XANTARES, though it would be sad to see that Turkish core finally ruined.

Or Liquid to replace EliGE, who is going to FURIA…

insani will have lots of options, but for Brazil’s sake he needs to join FURIA and lead the revolution. For his own sake, if KSCERATO leaves, he might be better off going to Europe.

FURIA need him. Brazil needs him. MIBR need him.

But does he need them?