Brazilian organization paiN Gaming are set to make another roster adjustment by benching Guilherme "piriajr" Barbosa, according to a report from Dust2.com.br. Academy player Lucas "Tatu" Santana is expected to step into the starting lineup, at least temporarily.
This marks the second change in recent weeks for the struggling squad. Earlier, Vinicius "vsm" Moreira was moved to the bench and replaced by academy prospect Rickson "Rkzinho" Ribeiro Dias.
The roster shake-up comes after a rough start to the season. The team finished at the bottom of the standings at both BLAST Open Porto and Stake Ranked Episode 3, while also exiting early from the Esports World Cup. Following their latest disappointing run in Porto, team veteran Rodrigo "biguzera" Bittencourt delivered harsh criticism about internal issues, saying the squad had lost trust in each other.
piriajr joined paiN from Bounty Hunters in January and spent nine months on the main roster. While he posted strong numbers domestically with his previous team, boasting a 1.32 rating, he struggled to maintain that level internationally, averaging just 1.03 during his time with paiN.
Incoming player Tatu has been with paiN Academy for two years, making him the longest-tenured member of the youth squad. The 22-year-old has performed consistently this year, holding a 1.07 rating. The report does not clarify whether this promotion represents a permanent solution or simply a temporary fix for upcoming tournaments.
The new lineup would feature biguzera, snow, saffee, Rkzinho, and Tatu under coach rikz.
