R7 Ceo MSI 2023: “We got a candidate for winning MSI on day one”

An expected BLG win turned out to be a BLG stomp and an unforgettable back-and-forth between BLG and Movistar R7. BLG earned a clean 2-0, but for Movistar R7 players, it was their first time back on the international stage in over two years.

Esports.gg sat down with ADC Lorenzo "Ceo" Tévez to ask him about the best-of-three format and his thoughts on facing such a tough opponent on his first day at the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI 2023).

Esports.gg: As one of the youngest players at this event, how do you feel you stack up to some of the older, more experienced players?

Ceo: I just think I need to learn a lot more from the players who are older and more experienced. I think this will help me become a better player as time passes

Esports.gg: LATAM statistically comes fairly low on international scoreboards. Is this something you think about before a match or do you try to focus on the game?

Ceo: I don’t focus on LATAM’s international standings while playing. I just try to focus as much as possible while in the match, but I don’t think about representing the region as a wider whole. As that would make me more nervous and feel more pressure.

Esports.gg: Which team are you excited to face off against and why?

Ceo: I hope that we can advance more through play-ins and pass into the bracket or group stage and face JDG or someone like that.

Esports.gg: As you are just beginning your esports career, do you feel the need to bring regional success?

Ceo: Yes, of course because LATAM as a region is very passionate and so if I play badly, they’ll flame me. And if I play well and perform well, they will support me a lot. So it creates a lot of pressure, I suppose as I'm representing a region and my organization of the team R7 and that is obviously a lot of pressure.

Esports.gg: Do you enjoy the new format of best of threes for showing your ability?

Ceo: The format of best of three gives more space for mistakes, so if you do badly in one game, you have another chance, and then if you win, you have another chance again. That helps. I just don’t like such good teams like BLG being in play-ins. It's so hard for minor regions like us to compete. We got a candidate for winning MSI on day one.

Esports.gg: What does being a pro player mean to you?

Ceo: It feels good to be a pro in esports because I am doing what I like and I have accomplished a dream from when I was younger. I always wanted to become a pro player and just be a pro gamer so now I'm here.

Esports.gg: As this is your first MSI, what do you want to achieve?

Ceo: I want to prove that I am enough and our region is enough because from LATAM, every team that went to MSI or Worlds couldn’t achieve to get into the main bracket stage or groups.

Esports.gg: Who do you want to play and why?

Ceo: I would like to face Ruler or Gumayusi.

Esports.gg: How do you cope with nerves at an event like this?

Ceo: I don’t feel nervous. I just focus on the game. And after the first five minutes where I am kind of nervous — after that I just focus on the game and I'm not distracted by outside factors like the crowd and stuff like that. So I'm not nervous, but the stage is really cool.

Esports.gg: You did not take cleanse into game one and opted for heal instead. Was there any particular reason for this or just something you’re more comfortable with?

Ceo: Yes, I took heal over cleanse because of their picks [Lucian, Nami, Renekton, Nautilus, and Lee Sin]. the only CC in that team is Renekton, so cleanse is not worth it. I prefer to focus on the 2v2, and out-of-lane cleanse isn’t really needed because you can’t take Nautilus or [the] hook-only passive. And Nautilus hitting you is hard because as an ADC, he needs to flash first.

Esports.gg: BLG was banning your signature Draven pick. Ehat did you make of this?

Ceo: I think them respecting me is good, but it doesn’t give me a big ego or anything like that. It's good that they respect LATAM and don’t look at us poorly.

Esports.gg: What was going through your head when Oddie stole the Baron in game two?

Ceo: I mean, the game was already lost, but it was fun to see and fun to watch. And we didn’t lose without trying. We tried to get something, you know.

Esports.gg: What’s your favorite thing about MSI being hosted in London this year?

Ceo: I have never been here before so I like the weather. It’s so good because where I live, it’s always hot and I really like the cold and that just makes it so good being here. Plus the streets here are cool.

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