paiN captain Biguzera: AWPer for Cologne undecided

paiN captain Rodrigo “biguzera” Bittencourt said the team’s AWPer role for the Cologne Major has not been finalized. The comment came as paiN chased a playoff berth at the CS Asia Championships in China, advancing through Group A’s lower bracket with wins over BC.Game and TYLOO.

Biguzera said Lucas “nqz” Soares’s availability is unresolved and that the club has not made a final roster decision. For the present event, stand-in Rafael “saffee” Costa is occupying the AWPer position and has adapted to the role.

The captain reflected on paiN’s recent run, noting the team reached the quarter-finals at IEM Atlanta earlier in the year and left that event disappointed at not going further. “It was the perfect event for us to make it to the finals, perhaps even win,” he said, adding that the result gave the squad a sense of what they could achieve.

Biguzera described difficult conditions in China, including travel fatigue and limited sleep. He reported multiple nights with only about three hours of rest and said jet lag affected preparation. Those factors, he said, made some maps harder to play; the team lost a BO1 to M80 on Mirage after not practicing that map for around ten days.

On saffee’s integration, Biguzera praised the stand-in’s speed of learning and in-game contributions. He called saffee “a smart guy” who picks up instructions quickly and noted the player’s experience, communication and help with mid-round calls and anti-strats.

Biguzera also addressed teammate vsm’s recent admission of personal difficulties affecting performance. He described the squad’s approach as direct communication and honesty, and said vsm’s recognition of the issue was an important step for his own improvement and for the team.

paiN’s next match at the CS Asia Championships is scheduled against MOUZ, a lineup that includes recent changes and at least one stand-in. The captain said he had limited scouting time because of tiredness but emphasized focusing on paiN’s own game plan and recovering ahead of the match.

No official roster announcement has been made for the Cologne Major. Biguzera said a decision will be needed soon while the team remains focused on current competitions and on keeping saffee effective while nqz’s status is clarified.