The main team is set to begin the playoff stage on Tuesday, September 26th, at 15:30 CEST, facing the Turkish team, Eternal Fire. Following four weeks of group-stage matches in Malta, the ESL Pro League has finalized its 16 playoff contenders for the 18th season of the LAN tournament.
blameF and his team progressed to the playoffs similarly to their performance in IEM Cologne 2023. After an initial loss, they secured three successive victories, concluding with a win against FURIA in the Lower Final. It's the second consecutive time the Danish quintet has advanced in a prestigious LAN tournament this fall, and the team is eager to perform at their best in Malta.
casle: - We've concentrated on our map pool, aiming to enhance it. A few maps weren't up to par, but we've successfully addressed this during our practices
Before heading to the archipelago situated between Sicily and the North African coast, coach Peter "casle" Ardenskjold shared his tactical insights and expectations for the upcoming playoff stage:
- Of course, I'm looking forward to the matches in Malta. I hope we have a good tournament, continuing our style of play from our last visit, and ultimately making a strong impression, says casle.
The coach highlights that the Danish roster hasn't set a specific success goal. However, he believes it's vital to demonstrate that it's no coincidence these five Danish players are participating in their second consecutive playoff stage in a significant tournament.
- We had a great tournament in Cologne. Now, we face another prestigious playoff stage. Only time will tell what the future holds, but I firmly believe we can challenge even the strongest teams, keeping in mind that any team, including ourselves, can have an off day.
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Can your experiences from the IEM Cologne playoff benefit you in this ESL Pro League playoff stage?
- Without a doubt, we can draw from our experiences at the IEM Cologne playoff. We're aligned with our team's internal success goals in the energy we aim to bring to Malta and in our in-game tactics and techniques. We stand by each other; that's what truly matters. The sense of camaraderie from our past experiences is definitely something we can harness this time.
What's the key to your team succeeding?
- We must stick to our fundamental agreements, and everyone needs to excel in their specific roles and responsibilities within the team. That covers the individual aspect. As a collective, we need to become a seamlessly coordinated unit.
- We already know our success formula; now, it's about execution.
Have there been specific areas of focus in recent practices?
- We've concentrated on our map pool, aiming to enhance it. A few maps weren't up to par, but we've successfully addressed this during our practices. We're now in a much better position concerning the map pool than before our recent boot camp, states casle.
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