"We are happy with our level and the level of the franchises" - Interview with xand and axeddy from KRÜ Esports

We had the opportunity to chat with the Brazilian duo from KRÜ Esports, Alexandre "xand" Zizi and Carlos "axeddy" Alberto Machado during the Red Bull Home Ground, the team advanced to the Semifinals after beating Team Liquid 2-0 and will face a rematch against Cloud9. We asked about how the team's first high-level experience is going after the players recently joined the new organization for which they will compete in VCT 2023.

xand

THESPIKE: This is the first opportunity you have had to officially play at a high level in a KRÜ jersey, how has it been for you to adapt? Playing in a new team, communicating in another language, have you felt comfortable during this process?

xand: For me it's been very easy because I have been speaking Spanish in other teams, so, for me, I am used to it. I have been fluent in Spanish for a few years now, so maybe because of accents or slang it gets a little more complicated, but I am already used to it, so there was no big change. Playing with axeddy, our sixth player, we can also converse easily in Spanish, not so fluent but we understand each other well, so I believe we won't have any problems with that and we are proving now that even if we are not 100% we can still communicate well and play well, and that is very comfortable in this process, not only with the language but also with the new team.

THESPIKE: Already on the first day of the event you faced great teams with excellent players. From your point of view, do you think you can already get an idea of the level of the franchises? How do you see KRÜ in this new challenge of the League of Americas in 2023?

xand: On the first day we could see the level of the franchises, I believe that the team still don't know much, especially Vitality, but it is an excellent team that I had already trained against them before and it is a very good team, which will play very well in the franchises and Cloud9. So we could see, not only in our group, but also in the B group, that the level of the franchise will be very high. Today we managed to win against Liquid and we could also see how their level is as well as ours. So we are very satisfied, not only with our level but also with the level of the whole franchise, it will be very cool to play next year.

THESPIKE: Still about the Americas League, you have already faced some of the teams that will be part of this new event now and in the past. Which teams are you most looking forward to facing and which ones do you consider to be the strongest?

xand: The team that I was most anxious to play and I ended up playing here already, is Cloud9, but I am anxious to face them next year, with both teams structured. Not only that, I also want to face some of the Brazilians, Leviathan itself, I think all the teams are very strong, they are going to make important classics in the future. So I think I would like to face Cloud9 again, I think it will be very good to play with them, I like yay a lot. We have also traveled a lot in our respective former teams, so we are already more prepared, we know how it is, but I am just anxious for Cloud9 because of the affection I have for them.

THESPIKE: You are playing in the Flex position now, during your Valorant career, about 77% of your agent choices have been Duelists. Are you having any trouble adjusting to this new role or are you comfortable with it?

xand: I do what the team needs, so as the team needs someone flex that speaks more or that, not that someone has a problem, but that adapts better, I have no problem doing other agents, even in NIP I had done Killjoy, I had already done KAY/O, then now with Fade very strong I can do it with no problem, with Skye I had always played since Furia and still continue playing enough duelists. The team tries to keep everyone in the maximum comfort zone. This doesn't bother me, I like that my players are also in the comfort zone, so an example, if Daveeys is better than me with Raze, and I have no problem saying this, it's because I don't get along with the agent, and he knows that maybe I am better than him with Jett, each one plays his role there in some maps and everyone is comfortable, so no problem with that, because I believe, not only I believe, I am sure that my goal is to win, so it doesn't bother me if I am maybe not in my favorite role, if I am being important for the team, that's what matters.

THESPIKE: You managed to get a great result against Team Liquid and now move on to the next stage to face a rematch against Cloud9, what do you expect from this next match? What did you learn from the last match and what will you take with you to the next stage?

xand: This result against Liquid was very important. Especially in a face-to-face match, it is very important, in such a big event, we are just seeing the structure of everything that is happening here, everyone is seeing the teams that are here, from eight teams seven are from franchises, so it was a very important game. A very good result, and we also took a while to warm up, right? So, against Cloud9, against Vitality, we had some problems, anxiety, axeddy himself said he was a little nervous, his international debut, we overcame several problems, several things happened and we had to do our best to get over them and I think that is what we got the most out of this game, but also from the whole event. I believe that we have been improving a lot game after game and that tomorrow against Cloud9 will be, for me, a different game. I hope to win, but if we end up being defeated, I am sure it will be a much tougher game.

axeddy

THESPIKE: It was a big surprise that you were announced as the sixth man on the KRÜ team, and now in the team's first high-level competition you have had the opportunity to play. Can you comment a bit on what this experience has been like for you so far?

axeddy: The experience so far has been very good, I'm having a lot of fun with the boys, we're getting along very well and yesterday in the first games I was quite nervous because it was my first international experience and also my first LAN, and it's a high-caliber LAN, with the best teams in the world, so I was quite nervous. In the last series yesterday I managed to calm down, show a little bit of what I am capable of, and today at the Stage I was also a little bit nervous at the beginning because it was my first time at the Stage, but I think I managed to show a little bit of what I am capable of, just like yesterday.

THESPIKE: You have been through Tier 3 and Tier 2 teams during your career, and now you have the opportunity to train and play against Tier 1 teams. Can you already point out what are the main differences you could notice between these various scenarios?

axeddy: So, the difference between Tier 1, 2 and the rest is basically the mentality and professionalism. I see that currently in Brazil many Tier 2 teams don't have the professionalism to have a routine, to make a training before the game or really warm up and give your maximum, to really dedicate your whole day for the game and I see that this is a big difference that has between the scenario today.

THESPIKE: How do you think this new franchise system impacts Tier 2 players and teams? Do you see this new system as a positive thing from your point of view?

axeddy: So, I think the franchise system will be something that Tier 2 teams can benefit from if there are enough Off Season Tournaments, sponsored by Riot itself, like the BTS Summit, and I think it will be a good thing for the teams because they have a chance to get a spot for the franchise, a direct spot, so I think there will be a lot of competitiveness because of this and in general, yes. I think it will be a good thing.

THESPIKE: I would also like to know what your expectations are for this match/rematch against Cloud9 in the Semifinals.

axeddy: I think it will be a very tight game. In our last game I realized, it was our second game of the day, I realized that I was quite nervous, I couldn't play a little bit of what I am capable of, nor show a little bit of what I am capable of and I threw a lot of rounds because of that. But I think it's going to be a completely different scenario now, it's going to be five against five and we'll see, right? Who is better will win.