Magixx at IEM Katowice: “If we can play well and not make that many mistakes, we can win”

Today is grand finals day at IEM Katowice 2025 and just before the playoffs began, I got to speak to Boris “magixx” Vorobyev of Team Spirit. magixx is a man of few words in his interviews, but here are the few words he had for me.

So how are you finding the event so far?

Magixx: Well, it’s pretty much great event. Like over the last couple of years, even not including the last year run. The overall experience from the Katowice is good because there’s one more tournament to compare with is Cologne, which is always bad. So. So yeah, I love this place.

What makes you say Cologne is bad?

Magixx: Because we suck.

Sophie: Okay. Yeah, I mean I guess you are the defending champions here, right?

So how does that affect your confidence coming into these playoffs?

Magixx: It makes no difference I think.

Sophie: Really?

Magixx: Yeah.

Sophie: Ah, okay, good.

How has your preparation looked for this event?

Magixx: Well, the preparation is like always the same where like if we’re preparing for the tournament, we’re just playing practice games like grinding the game to get better individually and as a team. And when we are at a tournament, we are just preparing for the enemy. It’s always the same way.

Sophie: Okay, so it’s a tried and true method that works every time.

Magixx: Yeah, exactly.

Sophie: Okay, great. You’ve played quite a lot of series already. You’ve played some really big opponents.

What was your favorite game that you’ve already played?

Magixx: It should be game against Navi because okay, we obviously lost but the game was pretty much action packed and there was a lot of tough scenarios, a lot of weird rounds, a lot of mistakes from us from them and whatever. While the other games we have played here was pretty much one sided.

Sophie: That is very true. Yeah, I guess Navi was a bit of a thorn in your side.

So once you come off a loss like that with a team like Navi, how do you then take that and prepare to face them again in these playoffs?

Magixx: Well, it’s, it’s probably sucks if you look from the like different side of view. It probably gives them more, more confidence because of the overall record. But I don’t think we have to, I don’t think we should be like looking at that. We just should be playing well and play what we have to do. And if we can play well and not make that many mistakes, we can win because you know, it’s not the game where the one team is clearly better than the other.

Sophie: Oh yeah, it’s always a close game against them, absolutely. And I guess that makes for some good CS, right? Okay, good.

So just one last question. I did just want to touch on the change from Vertigo to Train. I noticed you guys haven’t been playing a lot of train lately.

Is there a reason for that or what makes you not pick it?

Magixx: No comment.

Sophie: No comment? Okay. No problem. Do you like having it in the pool?

Magixx: Yeah, I love this map.