NAVI's captain, Aleksi "Aleksib" Virolainen, shared his thoughts on his team reaching the playoffs of IEM Cologne 2024, as NAVI secured a direct spot in the semi-finals. In an interview with Dust2 Brasil, the Finnish esports player stated that he and his teammates are aiming to at least make it to the final.
"I have never played at LANXESS Arena in my career. I've always been eliminated during the group stage, so this will be my first time. I did once reach the playoffs, but that was during COVID, so there was no arena. I'm looking forward to playing in the semi-finals on Saturday, but for me, it didn't matter whether we started in the quarter-finals or the semi-finals.
Since we had the chance to go directly to the semi-finals, it’s better because it slightly boosts our confidence. We're all very proud of what we've achieved so far. At the same time, we want to at least reach the final. If we can secure our third trophy this year, it will be a dream come true, so we're striving for that."
It is worth noting that IEM Cologne 2024 is taking place from 7 to 18 August in Cologne, Germany, with the participation of 24 teams. The top three teams from each group will advance to the playoffs. The total prize pool for the event is $1 million. The winner will also receive invitations to IEM Katowice 2025 and the BLAST Premier World Final 2024.