cadiaN: "we like to be the team that people are not looking at as the first contender..."

We caught up with Casper “cadiaN” Møller, Heroic's IGL, about their victory in the EU RMR B, and qualifying with Legend Status to the BLAST Paris Major 2023.

Hugo "TheSwedishJoker" Nilsson Meier, BLIX.GG: Through to the Major once again with a 3-0 record, but both maps were really close. Did you expect Monte to come out swinging as hard as they did on Mirage? What was the game plan like going into this match?

Casper “cadiaN” Møller: I think we were just looking at some of their tendencies, how they like to use middle and how they like to use the sites a little bit. Obviously, the headshots that BOROS (Muhammad “BOROS” Malhas, ed.) came with, that’s impossible to prepare for, because he played super well. We had a great start, we were 7-1 up and then the half ended 12-3, and then we had some struggles on the T side.

I think we are just making some mistakes right now which isn't like us, we need to be a little bit more decisive, and we need to know when enough is enough. We’re kind of missing that balance a bit this tournament, but I’m still very happy that we won the first map, it gave us a lot of confidence going into the second map.

BLIX: You also won the first half on the second map, this time 10-5, but then Monte started coming back. I remember you guys called a timeout at 14-14, and while obviously, you can’t say exactly what you said, what were the main points that you mentioned that allowed you guys to get over the line once again?

cadiaN: I think that at 14-14 when we took a timeout, we knew that their money was not that good if I remember correctly, so we were talking mostly about anti-eco solutions, how to keep the distance and still play for information. I think when we hit 14-14 we started to finally build momentum because we were behind at least 11-10 and maybe even 12-10.

So, we were actually starting to gain some momentum and find the groove, so at 14-14, we were feeling really good.

BLIX: Rasmus “sjuush” Beck has been playing extremely well at this RMR, especially in the clutch department. Do you think we have a new “clutch minister” on the team?

cadiaN: I think a lot of people, if they are seeing me as the main one, I have a lot of people challenging me consistently at every tournament! I think there’s no one in my team who I haven’t seen make impossible clutches and difficult clutches at very important moments, so definitely a very clutch team this Heroic squad!

I think he’s been playing out of his mind, he just needs to push harder and make sure that he can not just maintain but get even better for the next tournaments.

BLIX: You guys came in second place at the last Major, and you had an amazing year. Now, going into the BLAST Paris Major, do you feel like you’re out for revenge, even though Virtus.pro is out?

cadiaN: That’s the plan, to get home, work on the mistakes, improve the map pool and be strong! I think there are a lot of good teams you have to beat to even be considered for the final at a Major, so we’ll keep the mentality that we usually have with “one game at a time, one round at a time” and stuff like this.

Obviously, it would be a lie to say we’re not going to Paris as someone who expects to go far, and the goal is to win it, that’s no secret at all.

Credit: BLAST/Michal Konkol

BLIX: BLAST Paris will be the last CS:GO Major. Do you feel a little bit more pressure, knowing that this is the last chance to get your name on the Major trophy before CS:GO?

cadiaN: I’m not feeling that specific pressure yet, but it might come along the way. Right now I just think that it’s pretty cool that I played the first Major and I’m also going to play the last one, there are not many players who have done that.

Obviously, I had a bit of a gap in the middle of the Counter-Strike: Global Offensive scene. But you know, I just hope BLAST and Paris, the city and the fans, will make it special because I think that CS:GO definitely deserves a worthy departure.

BLIX: You guys had an amazing 2022, finishing second at the Rio Major and winning the Pinnacle Cup Championship and BLAST Premier Fall Final on home soil. Has last year raised the expectations when compared to the beginning of 2022?

cadiaN: Yeah, I remember last year one of the main goals was to start getting some trophies and we won Pinnacle and the Fall Finals.

We’ve got a bit more used to the feeling of doing that on LAN as well, but that is still the main goal of this year, to get the trophies and lift them at the end, and make sure that the experience ends on a high.

BLIX: You were ranked as the #1 team in the world for most of the tail end of last year. Does it change the way you go into events, not being the #1 team in the world anymore?

cadiaN: Yeah, I think maybe there’s a bit less pressure and more people looking at G2 and FaZe. That’s how it is with looking at the rankings, people always look at the top teams. That’s fine, we like to be the team that people are not looking at as the first contender, but sneak in from behind!

BLIX: PGL announced that the first CS2 Major will be played here, in Copenhagen. Have you started talking about it with friends and family, and how cool it will be to have the game’s first Major on home soil?

cadiaN: Yeah, I think everyone is super hyped about it, friends and family and everyone who’s involved with Counter-Strike! Finally, a Major is coming to Denmark, but there is still plenty of time to go and a new game to try out before even hoping that I’m going to play there.

I think that people can at least know that everyone in Denmark is really ecstatic about this Major, and I’m sure it’s going to be great!

Feature Image Credit: BLAST/Michal Konkol