After beating LOUD, KRÜ are looking to make a run at Masters: Copenhagen

Many people envisioned a KRÜ Esports and Guild Esports matchup at some point during the VALORANT Champions Tour Masters: Copenhagen tournament. Not many people expected their battle to determine the first playoff team or how close the back-and-forth brawl would be.

Both KRÜ and Guild traded blows, each grabbing a map of their own to bring it to a final Game 3 decider on Icebox. Tensions were high as each team traded rounds all the way into overtime until Guild Esports pulled away to clinch their spot in the playoffs.

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The five-man grouping of Guild Esports collectively jumped out of their chairs screaming and rejoicing at an incredible victory. For KRÜ, it wasn’t the same excitement one gets after winning an important match. Instead, they got out of their chairs and showcased an even-keeled demeanor even after a tough loss. For KRÜ Esports in-game leader, Nicolas “Klaus” Ferrari, the team’s level of camaraderie and chemistry is something that has made him confident in his team’s ability to overcome any obstacle.

“It doesn’t matter who we are playing against,” Klaus said. “We have the potential to beat any team. We just need the right mental to win because we know that we are a good team.”

KRÜ went into VCT Masters: Copenhagen with many placing low expectations on the team. After a strong semifinals finish at VCT Champions 2021, KRÜ took a tumble in 2022 that saw them be one of the first teams eliminated at Masters: Reykjavík. It’s something that Klaus credited to a lapse in concentration in the team.

Read more: Ranking all the teams at VCT Masters: Copenhagen

“After VCT Champions, it felt like we were only at 50 percent of our strength in Iceland,” Klaus said. “We took breaks from the game for a bit, and I think that is why we all did not play well in Iceland.”

That tumble at Masters: Reykjavik continued through VCT Stage 2 regional play in Latin America. Their route to Masters: Copenhagen was a lot different than previous runs to other international tournaments. While KRÜ Esports ultimately maintained their streak of attending every international VALORANT LAN, their run to Copenhagen was the first time the team did not secure their spot as a first seed for LATAM. It was this shocking loss that really brought the team back to form according to Klaus.

Photo credit: Riot Games

“We never lose in LATAM which is what made it all so shocking to us,” Klaus said when talking about the team’s loss to Leviatán. “But that loss really gave us a wake-up call to go into that LATAM vs. Brazil match.”

They ended up beating Brazil’s Ninjas in Pyjamas to give LATAM two teams at an international VALORANT LAN for the first time ever. Since that point, KRÜ Esports have looked like the team that reached the semifinals of VCT Champions. This level of confidence and growth has made an immediate impact in Group A, especially after KRÜ beat VCT Masters: Reykjavík finalist LOUD on the opening day of the tournament.

“We always know we can play and reverse a series because of the work we put in,” Klaus said. “Teams underestimate us, but we know that as long as we are playing with confidence, we can put up strong performances.”

This confidence is something that Klaus hopes continues beyond their matchup with LOUD as he looks forward to playing more teams at Masters: Copenhagen.

“It is cool to win again in an international tournament, but we want to beat another team that is not Brazil,” Klaus said. “We just played Brazil in the Last Chance Qualifier to get here, so we want to test our strength against the other regions as well. It is a great start and it feels good, but we are far from finished here.”

KRÜ’s loss against Guild Esports on Monday and how they bounce back from it has now become KRÜ’s next challenge in Copenhagen. With just one more opportunity to qualify for the playoffs, KRÜ’s backs are against the wall. Despite this, these are the moments Klaus feels the team can really play their best and their level of concentration is highest.

“It was a rough start for us this year because we didn’t prepare ourselves very well both on an individual level and as a team,” Klaus said. “What mattered was how we handled the next day and improve on those mistakes we made.”

Both OpTic Gaming and LOUD will fight for their tournament lives on Tuesday in Group A’s elimination match. The loser will be eliminated from Masters: Copenhagen, and the winner will move on to the Group A decider match against KRÜ Esports on Wednesday. The winner of that match will join Guild Esports in the VCT Masters: Copenhagen playoffs.

Lead photo credit: Riot Games