Counter-Strike has descended on London once again as the BLAST Premier Spring Finals 2024 brings back the Danish organizer’s brand to London, returning to the British capital for the first time since Spring Series in 2020. The games have already gotten underway with the second match of the day seeing the current Major champions, NAVI, take down Astralis in a 2-0 sweep.
NAVI has found themselves in the crosshairs of as many fans and pundits alike discuss whether their Major victory was a fluke. The noise around the team became ever louder after back-to-back 9th-12th finishes at IEM Dallas and ESL Pro League Season 19. With an opening win, the team looks to continue this form and lift the BLAST Premier trophy in front of the British fans at Wembley Arena.
Following a media day where players got to try British food with UKCSGO, keep your eyes peeled for the first episode, Justinas “jL” Lekavicius sat down to talk to us. In a feisty interview, the Major champion discussed the team’s form ahead of BLAST, NAVI’s preparation, and his opinion on London and it’s food scene.
You’ve had some bad form as a team and there’s been lots of questions surrounding the team, does it feel good to start off this event with a win?
What makes you think we’ve had bad form? [Laughs]. Yeah I mean it’s better, we’ve for sure had better practice, and the motivation is back. This tournament is ours.
There’s been a lot of noise around the team with people making these comments about your form and stating that the Major win was a fluke. How does that affect you mentally? Do you hear that, does it give you more confidence?
Who is making those comments? No one better than you is making those comments so why would you listen to those people? They are basement dwellers, weebs, nobodies. Why would you listen to their opinion?
Coming into this tournament, what was the prep?
We for sure worked on our synergy and how we approached each other as teammates. What we do in the server, being connected to one another, working as one big unit, and not going for the individual plays. If we do have an individual play we are connected to the whole team and work from there.
What would you say is the one thing that has to happen for you to win this event?
I don’t know. It feels like we are going to win it again. I don’t know. Just play our game. Yeah. Just play our game. Play what we can and do our best.
How have you found being in the UK?
It’s interesting. I think you have really good food, not British food of course. Quality ingredients, I liked the bowls, I liked KFC as well. It was the first time I’ve eaten KFC and it was an enjoyable time, but other than that I don’t know. I haven’t been out much, I’ve been practising in the hotel.
When you guys win you can go experience London properly.
There is a store I want to visit, it’s a really cool store and I can’t wait to win the tournament and buy myself some.
What store is that?
I cannot tell you the store [laughs]. I can’t.
When you have teammates such as b1t having performances like he did today, how much of a confidence boost is that?
The people who are supposed to perform performed and it’s good. It means everything is happening according to plan and we just have to stick with it, do the things we’ve done previously and get it.
It got a bit close at the end for NAVI
