The electrifying atmosphere of the Madrid LEC roadshow reached its climax with an all-Spanish showdown between Movistar KOI and GIANTX, leaving spectators on the edge of their seats. The thrilling series saw MKOI emerge victorious, handing GIANTX a 1-1 record for the weekend, following their earlier triumph over G2. As the dust settled, GIANTX head coach André “Guilhoto” Pereira sat down for an exclusive interview, offering a candid Look into the team’s performance.
Guilhoto’s words painted a picture of a team that struggled to find its footing, “I think we lacked a lot of the energy that we had yesterday. I felt we played a lot more scared.” He acknowledged that KOI’s strengths played a significant role in their downfall, “KOI is better at doing some things that we struggle against than G2. So I think it was a deserved win for them.” Despite the loss, Guilhoto expressed a sense of pride and accomplishment, “Overall I’m happy with what we achieved in Madrid and the progress that we made.” However, he was quick to add that their performance was far from flawless, “But I don’t think we played in a way where we should be too proud of all three games, including the one that we won.”
Guilhoto Reflects on GIANTX’s LEC Madrid Performance (Image via Getty)The conversation turned to the technical issues that plagued GIANTX during the series, with Guilhoto revealing that sound problems had a significant impact on their gameplay. He recounted the chaos that ensued, “It was game one and game two — it was game two because I told them that if this happens again, what they were saying in game one, to pause the game and straight up refuse to play.” The team’s struggles were compounded by issues with Jackie ‘ShackkY’ Luzi’s headset, which left him struggling to hear the game properly.
As the interview shifted to more lighthearted topics, Guilhoto’s passion for Madrid and Spanish culture shone through. He confessed, “I just love this country and the city. To me, even though I’m not Spanish, I grew in Spain — my career in esports grew in Spain.” The city’s infectious energy had a profound effect on Guilhoto, who made it clear that he would “try to soak as much as I can from it.” The upcoming summer finals in Madrid only added to his excitement, with Guilhoto lavishing praise on the event, “This stadium and these fans are just 10 out of 10.”
Guilhoto’s personal life was also touched upon, as he spoke about his young son and the drive it gave him to succeed. He revealed that there were times when he considered quitting, but his son’s presence kept him motivated, “I feel more motivated than ever because I want to set a good example for him of someone that never gives up.” Guilhoto’s determination to win an LEC title was palpable, “I’ve never won an LEC, and even though a lot of people just call me delusional, I want to make that happen.”
Guilhoto Reflects on GIANTX’s LEC Madrid Performance (Image via Getty)As the conversation turned to GIANTX’s current trajectory, Guilhoto acknowledged that the team had been struggling to find consistency. He pinpointed a lack of confidence and tension as major contributors to their rocky form, “I think there is a lot of tension and a lot of hesitation and a lot of fear to fail.” Despite their recent win over G2, Guilhoto was clear that it was only a small step forward, “The G2 win helps, but it’s not like it’s going to solve all our issues.” The team’s focus had shifted to taking things one game at a time, with Guilhoto stating, “Right now we don’t have an aim. We changed our mindset a bit to just focus on winning the next game.”
The interview concluded on a humorous note, with Guilhoto addressing the team’s affinity for football. He jokingly claimed to be the team’s best player, “Okay, I think no one is good. To be fair, I’m probably the best one on the team — not because I’m really good but because I think they never really saw a ball in their feet.” As the conversation drew to a close, it was clear that Guilhoto’s passion and dedication to his team and the sport remained unwavering.
