Following M80's intense double-overtime victory over DENDELE in the third-place decider, team AWPer Fritz "slaxz-" Dietrich sat down with Payton "LTP" Tolbert to discuss the team's performance and future prospects.
The adrenaline-fueled comeback left slaxz- riding high, though he acknowledged familiar M80 tendencies. "I think it was just M80 classic losing 5v3," he admitted when asked about the team's struggles to close out rounds. The real issue, he identified, lies in anti-eco losses. Dropping rounds on Cache and Inferno after winning pistols proved devastating, leaving the team economically crippled with minimal funds.
Regarding map pool confidence, slaxz- expressed strong faith in Cache while identifying Ancient as their primary concern. Despite holding a commanding 12-5 lead against DENDELE on Ancient, the team couldn't secure the win. "It feels really bad for us right now," he noted, indicating Ancient would receive the most attention in upcoming practice sessions, alongside some Anubis refinement.
Despite inconsistent Mirage performances at the event, slaxz- firmly believes in the team's capabilities on the map. "Mirage is still an S-tier map for us. I think we are insane on it," he stated confidently. He attributed their DENDELE loss to avoidable mistakes and eco-round failures rather than fundamental weaknesses.
Looking ahead, M80 will return to Poland on Wednesday for ESL Pro League. Their third-place finish likely secures Major qualification without additional LAN appearances, allowing focused preparation. The team will concentrate on EPL competition before transitioning into dedicated Major practice.
For personal wellness, slaxz- keeps things simple—gym sessions and healthy eating form his mental health foundation, though the team currently lacks dedicated mental coaching support.
