The start of the new season has been rough for Natus Vincere. After being eliminated in the EWC Round of 16, the team suffered another loss—this time to M80 in their opening match at the BLAST Open Porto.
After the game, Mihai “iM” Ivan spoke with HLTV and noted that NAVI came into the match well-prepared and had a clear plan for Mirage. However, they were unable to execute their plan due to a series of minor mistakes. According to the Romanian player, the team made the wrong decisions at certain moments and also lost an entire USP round, which further complicated the situation.
Earlier, NAVI coach Andriy “B1ad3” Gorodensky said that during the offseason, the club had considered roster changes but was unable to make the necessary transfers. iM assured that the team was aware of these plans and does not believe that the unsuccessful attempts to strengthen the roster had a negative impact on the team.
According to the player, NAVI discussed possible changes on multiple occasions. Ultimately, management decided to keep the current roster for the season and reassess the situation later. In iM’s opinion, this decision should not significantly affect the team.
iM Explained the Reasons for the Loss to M80
iM believes that Natus Vincere went into the match against M80 well-prepared. The team had a general idea of which maps they would play, and the unexpected choice of Anubis wasn’t a problem—NAVI managed to win that map. At the same time, on Mirage, the Ukrainian team failed to execute their prepared plan. According to iM, the outcome was decided by minor mistakes, poor decisions at key moments, and a lost full USP round. The player also noted that the team is currently lacking confidence, but they will try to turn things around in the lower bracket.
In iM’s opinion, the reasons for the defeat could have been both tactical and psychological. After winning the first map, NAVI may have slightly underestimated their opponent and failed to adjust their strategy. The player himself was also dissatisfied with certain plays and timing on Mirage. Although the team knew in advance that the series might feature Mirage and Inferno, their preparation for these maps did not help them avoid problems.
iM Does Not Consider Potential Roster Changes a Problem for NAVI
Mihai assured that B1ad3’s comments about potential changes at NAVI do not affect the team. According to him, the players were aware of the situation and had discussed it among themselves on multiple occasions. Ultimately, the club decided to continue the season with the current roster, so iM sees no reason why this issue would affect the team’s performance. He also dismissed the notion that uncertainty about the future might cause any of the players to act differently.
At the same time, following the loss to M80 NAVI, it’s important to secure a victory in the lower bracket. iM emphasized not only the need to earn VRS points but also the need to regain confidence in their abilities. According to him, the team has already lost points due to defeats against lower-ranked opponents, as was the case with Legacy and M80. Restoring this balance is important not only at BLAST but also ahead of upcoming tournaments.