LOUD are ready to rebound at Valorant Champions
Sebastian Stigsby/Riot GamesLOUD are coming into Valorant Champions with over a month of rest and bootcamping under their belt and they expect to fight for the trophy yet again after a dismal Stage 2 Masters.
LOUD came away from Valorant Champions Tour Stage 2 Masters Copenhagen with a whimper after bursting onto the international scene in Stage 1 with a grand final appearance. After getting eliminated early on, Brazil’s top team has taken some time to rest and bootcamp their way to a new level of play.
LOUD has been touted as a top team in Brazil since their inception, with the squad forming around the best players in the region from different top teams. But to improve beyond the level of play in Brazil, the team has been bootcamping in Europe, where they have found a higher level of practice.
“There are many teams, even in tier two, that are very strong,” LOUD IGL Matias ‘Saadhak’ Delipetro told Dexerto about European squads during their bootcamp. “We believe that these scrims really make a big difference in our evolution, and we are convinced that it will make a big difference in our Champions participation.”
After Masters Copenhagen, the team was able to rest and to identify and work on some of their obvious mistakes from the tournament. Saadhak admitted that LOUD were much better overall at Stage 1 Masters in Iceland compared to their short time at the event in Copenhagen.
“The break was very important for us to regain energy. We are lighter and even better prepared,” he said.
Rest may be one of the biggest differences for this upcoming international event for LOUD. The team went almost directly from Stage 1 Masters into Stage 2 VCT competition and came into Copenhagen a little sluggish.
“During Masters 2 something new happened, we got off to a slow start in the match against KRÜ Esports. But we’ve learned from that and we are better prepared now,” Saadhak said.
Loud are taking every team at Champions seriously
Sebastian Stigsby/Riot GamesThe Brazil team has been placed in Group B along with BOOM Esports, ZETA DIVISION and a familiar face in OpTic Gaming.
When asked what he thought of their group, LOUD’s Bryan ‘pANcada’ Luna said that he considers every team at the tournament a title contender.
“No team that has made it to Champions can be considered weak,” he said.
LOUD specifically praised ZETA DIVISION for their dangerous players and intense fan base. As for, OpTic Gaming, LOUD’s Erick ‘aspas’ Santos said the squad is excited to play the North American team a fourth time after meeting them at Masters 1 twice and Masters 2.
“We are excited about that possibility and we want this to be a different game to the one from Masters Copenhagen. We are more familiar with OpTic’s pace and strategies, so we will face them without fear,” the teenage player said.
“Our team and Brazil deserve this world title”
Colin Young-Wolff/Riot GamesLOUD consider themselves Valorant Champions title contenders as well. Even if some teams or analysts have written them off after seeing them falter at Masters Copenhagen, the squad still views itself as a threat to make the grand final like they did in Iceland.
The team’s biggest strength going into the tournament is their adaptability, according to pANcada. That trait and the team’s fast-paced play are what they hope to show off come their first match against ZETA DIVISION.
For LOUD coach Matheus ‘bzkA’ Tarasconi, this tournament is a chance to validate the Brazilian’s team hard work and for them to show what Brazil can bring to the international stage.
“We’re going into this tournament with the goal to be champions and we will give our best to walk away with that title and the trophy,” bzkA said. “I know that our team and Brazil deserve that world title.”