mezii and apEX after Vitality's win in Rio - IEM Rio interview

We got to speak with Team Vitality’s mezii and apEX after their convincing win against NAVI at IEM Rio, two days after the Paris-based roster saw their dominant streak end at the hands of Team Falcons. Here’s what they had to say, first mezii and then apEX.

You always need that wake-up call - mezzi

You lost to Falcons two days ago and ended both of your streaks. Sitting here after beating NAVI convincingly, does that Falcons series now look like a useful loss, a wake-up call, or just a bad day?

I think a bit of both. You always need that wake-up call as a team that’s been winning for so long. Sometimes you need those losses, or those close games, to kind of make that step forward. But I think overall today, against Falcons there was also a lot to talk about, a lot to improve upon. It was also, of course, an off day. I think individually we needed to step up, all together. And I think that’s what we had more today: our individual play and our team play.

One more question, leading into Rio. Rio has been a really good event for the AWPers. torzsi, sh1ro, m0NESY and molodoy are all doing really good events, or were doing really good events. Is there anything in the AWP setup that you think changed since the new updates in CS, or do you think that’s just a matter of the meta shifting towards the AWP again?

I think as an AWPer, you’re always, I mean, a lot of AWPers especially are always trying to find new ways to find impact. It’s a role where you have to be one of the star players. You have to find impact in the game. So you always have to evolve and try to find new things, new ways to get impact in the game. So I think ultimately, as a player and especially as an AWPer, when you see that you’re maybe not the final impact, or not playing as well, you try and watch a lot of new things, maybe prepare even more to try and find ways to exploit the opponent. I think that’s what they’re always trying to do, trying to evolve. I wouldn’t say anything specifically changed. It’s just that sometimes things work, and often it works for a long amount of time. And sometimes you can prepare more against the team and find out what the AWPers do, and then it’s harder for them. And then after a while, they kind of find their way back in. They find new ways to pick new entries and stuff. So I think that’s what they’re just trying to do now, just to evolve a little bit more.

I like to be the villain - apEX

First of all, congratulations for the win today. FURIA is next, in this arena, with the home crowd. With this crowd being cited multiple times as one of the most interesting in the world to be in front of, do you think that influences in any way the way you guys prepare for it, or is it just another event with a really big crowd?

I think it’s going to be comparable to what we did in Austin. Even though it’s going to be maybe a bit more loud, we are fine with that. We know. We never liked the arenas, because people are bored that we win so much, so it’s fine. I really wanted to win today just to face FURIA here, because it never happened. And I think that’s one of the best crowds to play against, because I like to be the villain. So let’s see how it goes. I’m really excited for the clash.

Vitality will now face FURIA in front of the Brazilian home crowd tomorrow.