iM: NAVI Must Regain Confidence After M80 Loss at BLAST Open Fall
Mihai "iM" Ivan of NAVI addressed the team's defeat to M80 at BLAST Open Fall 2026, emphasizing that regaining confidence is critical not just for the current tournament but also for upcoming events. The Romanian player candidly discussed the technical and psychological factors behind the loss, noting that while the team prepared well, execution faltered on key maps like Mirage and Inferno.
NAVI started their group stage campaign with a victory on Anubis, but they failed to close out the match, conceding the next two maps to M80. According to iM, the team had prepared well for their opponent but made too many minor mistakes. "We were a little surprised by Anubis, but that wasn't a problem since we won it," iM stated. However, after securing the first map win, the team struggled to maintain momentum.
The team knew what to do but failed to execute the plan. The Romanian player noted that NAVI had a clear strategy for Mirage but were unable to execute it during the match. A few bad decisions and missteps ultimately cost the team the victory. "We prepared pretty well today... But for some reason, we couldn't execute it," iM explained. He highlighted that small details, such as missed opportunities and wrong calls at crucial moments, proved costly.
Psychology also played a role. iM doesn't rule out the possibility that after winning the first map, NAVI may have underestimated M80. Additionally, some unfortunate moments led to frustration and a loss of concentration. "Maybe after the first map, we underestimated them a bit and couldn't get back into the game," iM suggested.
The lack of official matches is noticeable. NAVI deliberately skipped the first tournament of the season to prioritize training. However, after their loss at EWC, the team realized that what they were lacking were official matches. "In practice, we know how we play, but in the same situation during an official match, everything can be different," iM observed.
NAVI Needs to Regain Confidence. After losing to M80, NAVI dropped to the lower bracket and lost important VRS points. iM emphasized that the team needs to regain confidence as soon as possible, especially after a rough start to the season. "We need VRS points because we're slipping down the standings by losing to lower-ranked teams," iM said.
For NAVI, the loss to M80 was their second consecutive disappointing result following their elimination by Legacy at the Esports World Cup. Now the team must navigate the lower bracket of BLAST Open Porto while simultaneously addressing the issues that surfaced in the first official matches of the season.
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