9z captain: team lacks confidence, making poor decisions

9z have lost four consecutive matches and exited both the Esports World Cup and BLAST Open Porto, continuing a poor run to start the season. The losses include a defeat to Vitality at BLAST Open Porto in Porto.

After the Vitality match, captain Maximiliano “max” Gonzalez acknowledged the squad is low on confidence and failing to make the right choices in rounds. “We are not confident right now and we are not making good decisions, and at the same time we are forgetting tactics,” he said.

Gonzalez described the problems as a combination of mental and tactical issues. Players have been failing to follow planned strategies and have not adapted to changing situations during rounds, he said. He called the start of the season a difficult stretch and said the team needs rest and internal discussion to identify the causes of the decline.

The captain outlined the team’s near-term plans. 9z will travel to China to take part in the FISSURE event, which Gonzalez sees as an opportunity to rebuild confidence against strong international competition. He also said the squad would benefit from matches against lower-ranked teams to regain consistency and rhythm before returning to top-level play.

Earlier this year 9z reached the top eight at the IEM Cologne Major and won the XSE Pro League. The organisation has scheduled a short program of review and competitive play aimed at correcting decision-making under pressure and restoring tactical discipline.