nitr0: "I think we actually have more potential [than 2019 Liquid]"

Nick "nitr0" Cannella has endured a tricky time back since his return from his VALORANT adventures. However, with Liquid up 2-0 and their recent ESL Pro League success, the team are finding some form at a crucial time. Dust2's Dafydd Gwynn sat down with the Liquid IGL to talk about the team's form, how it feels to be favorites once more, and hot topic recent addition Mareks "YEKINDAR" Gaļinskis. Note that this interview was recorded on day one of the IEM Rio American RMR.

You guys have been on a hot streak, is there anyone in NA that can challenge you for the best team from NA?

Right now, I don't think so. With our current form, coming off our final with Vitality and EPL. I think Complexity and EG are playing pretty well recently actually, but they are pretty inexperienced. They need more experience playing against European teams and they are getting it now towards the end of the year, so im excited to see their improvements now. Especially with a new member like HexT whos inexperienced, he's like an up-and-comer. Pretty excited to see how he gets on against European teams. But I think right now we are still some steps ahead of them, but they are definitely coming up.

The first game for you guys was pretty dominant, how confident are you feeling coming into this?

We were super confident coming against oNe. We watched some of their games last night, and just like any other game, we prep'd the same and game-planned it. We know that we are like the upper dogs, so we have a lot to lose and they have a lot to win. We just have to take it to match by match and round by round. Try not to stress too much.

You have just gone from an international tournament where you were the underdogs, and now here you are the big dogs, what's that like, what's the difference?

It's honestly really nice, it's good. Back in 2019 we came into every tournament expecting to win it. You can use it to your advantage, when people play you they are going to play differently because they know that if they play the same game they are probably not going to beat you.

Do you prefer being the favorites or the underdogs?

I prefer being favorites. I like being the favorite, it gives me a confidence boost personally. I think everyone on the team understands that when people play us they will approach the game differently so it's really fun in that aspect of the game.

Speaking about favorites, obviously, last time around you guys fell to FURIA. Whereas you have been coming into form at the moment, FURIA haven't looked like their old selves, is this the RMR where you can take the Legend spot?

Yeah I mean FURIA, they are still a really really strong team, they beat us in the EPL group stage 2-1. I think with these domestic match-ups its a little bit different, there's a different mentality coming up against these teams than playing European teams. It's not really like that anymore, because most of the time we are in Europe we barely scrim North American teams. FURIA are just another team to us and if we keep performing like we are performing it should be good for us.

You briefly mentioned 2019, do you think this lineup has the potential to be as good or better than that Grand Slam roster?

I think we actually have more potential, with the way oSee was playing in playoffs and YEKINDAR playing really well. EliGE has been playing super well and then me and NAF are like the security of the team. we aren't fragging too much but we are holding down sites we are supposed to hold down and NAF has been playing insane as well. He's been having a lot of good moments as well. It's been pretty good for us, we definitely have a lot of potential.

Would you say the skill level of this RMR is higher than the previous one?

I would say its definitely more skilled, I feel Complexity, EG us we have all had more European experience and scrims and stuff. I feel overall our levels are elevated right now.

Last time I spoke to you was at the last RMR. You mentioned how burnout was really affecting the squad, especially with shox how are you dealing with it now?

It's just something you live with and adapt to. For each person it's different obviously, like some of us have lives at home, some have girlfriends in Europe so it's easier for them. Overall it's just something you have to deal with, and you understand that if you want to be a top team in the world you have to work. It's my job so I'm going to be working my hardest regardless. It's just another factor in being a NA CSGO professional.

If you do make the Major, which you probably will, they have announced that theres going to be a crowd at the groupstage, how do you feel about that?

I think this current lineup it actually helps us. I think when you are playing within a studio without a crowd you play a little different. We like to call some players studio players for fun, whereas before it was onliners now its studio players (laughs), Its just a little joke in the team. But I think in general with a crowd the more inexperienced players will feel more pressure whereas our core is really experienced so I think it's going to help us. It's a really cool addition, it's new.

You have new-ish coach, he's been there a while now, how is the chemistry with daps your new coach?

I think it's been going really good so far, daps has kept us really level-headed through our travels and stuff. He helps a lot with tactics and overall the general feeling with the team. He has been a great addition, honestly, I have nothing bad to say about daps.

Everyone obviously asks about YEKINDAR, but is he the difference maker to take you to the next level?

Yeah. I think obviously we were not that great with shox on team compared to now, but I think YEKINDAR and I work really well together in the macro part of the game. We implement a different style together, he came from outsiders so he has the Jame style of game and we take the best of both worlds and implement it. He's like our 'Zone taker' so he has a lot of room to do what he wants and he understands how other players are playing because he's been playing against Europeans all throughout covid and everything. So he understands the micro part of the game, the tendencies of all the players and that for me was really hard coming back to the game, understanding how all these new players play the game. In general he helps a lot with the macro and micro part of the game.

Surprisingly Liquid won't have to play FURIA to clinch the Legends spot in Rio thanks to Evil Geniuses claiming an upset win against the Brazilians. As such, Liquid can now rest and prep for an NA showdown on Sunday at 09:30AM.