“You got this. Good luck at Champs,” Tacolilla recalls what he said to KRÜ players after LCQ Grand Final

Leviatán and KRÜ Esports were set to make history with an all-LATAM Last Chance Qualifier Grand Final. It was the latter's history to be told fully, however. As KRÜ Esports went on a run that saw them qualify for Champions 2023 after failing to win a single series during the regular VCT Americas season..

It was a hard fought Grand Final on both sides, but Leviatán ultimately fell short. And after the contest, full of emotion, Vicente "Tacolilla" Compagnon sat down to express his thoughts on the match, how he feels about KRÜ heading to Champions, and what his future may hold in VALORANT.

"With KRÜ Esports coming from the upper bracket, their advantage gave them the map bans and first map pick. What do you think about that advantage and how does it shape the team's game plan coming from the Lower Bracket?"

Tacolilla: "It's a tiny advantage, that you can just ban two maps. So, they can ban what they feel like. What's unsure or insecure for them. We're more stronger in different maps. for an example on Fracture. They picked Ascent and it's a bad map for us, but it's just a tiny advantage. I think it doesn't really make a huge difference."

"During the regular season, you played a maximum of three maps in a week, with the exception of the single super week. You just played nine in two days. Leviatán knows what it is like to be in a best-of-five series, but as the Duelist, having to have that aggressive energy to take space, did you find yourself worn out all near the end of the Grand Final?"

Tacolilla: "I found myself a couple times, A lot of times actually. I feel really confident. You have to be, you have to take that energy and be hyped up. I think we can make that. We made that with with my boys, but it wasn't enough. We made a lot of mistakes, too. and I get comfortable on stage, so I can say that."

"Okay, well instead of focusing on it map by map, let's look at the series as a whole for this. Overall, there was a lot of talk regarding the team's expectation when the year started. Including your ability to top frag on this team. What will be your biggest personal takeaway from the LCQ?"

Tacolilla: "In the regular season, I feel bad. I talk about this in the interviews, but in the Last Chance Qualifier, I give it all on stage. I don't regret anything. It's hard. It's tough, but I got that feeling like I really tried. I put my life into this tournament, on this last chance, but it wasn't enough. This is a team game and they were better. So, I kind of got a nice feeling just for really trying and never giving up, you know?"

"We saw the emotion pouring out of you on stage when the result was finalized. What exactly was going through your head right after KRÜ won?"

Tacolilla: "Nothing, like I don't know. I didn't know what to think. There's a lot going on and I don't know, past, present, future. It's a lot of things. Maybe I choked a little bit. I always believed that we were going to win that match. I never saw the defeat against KRÜ, so it was like a punch of reality and that's it. I just process what was going on and, and any thought in particular.

"So many ideas, so many things went on my head. Then I looked to my teammates and they were like me. So, in that case, you just can give a minute of silence to respect. Each player has his own way to get through the pain, through the defeat. Some cry, some don't. Some just leave and you have to respect all that. There's a lot going on in their minds."

"And then we saw hugs exchanged just before they celebrated on stage. It's obvious you're happy for them, showing comradery between LATAM teams. Do you remember what you were saying to the KRÜ Esports players in that moment?"

Tacolilla: "Yeah, I remember. I said congrats to them. They're so good. They are such a nice team, and I love those guys. I really thought they deserve it. And I just said, 'Well played. You played amazing. You got this. Good luck at Champs.' And just that, cheering for them, they deserve it. They were a better team twice.

"And I hope they make it at Champions. Melser was my ex-teammate. I got a lot of feelings for him and he's my friend, and I love those guys, in general on KRÜ. I'm a friend of every player and they're amazing. So, it's hard, pain, tough for me, but I have the empathy, too. So, just that congrats for them. They make it, they made a nice run. They deserve it."

"I'd like to know, do you believe in destiny?"

Tacolilla: "No, not really."

"Fair enough, but let's say you did. If this was KRÜ's destiny, to win the LCQ and go to Champions, what do you believe is the destiny of Tacolilla and Leviatán?"

Tacolilla: "That's a hard question. I don't know what's going to happen now. Maybe Leviatán makes some changes, roster stuff. The year's over for us, we don't have more competitions. We just wait. Fom my position, there's nothing I can do. Just wait. And we have to see. If I start thinking of future, I don't know what's going to happen. I've got some anxiety and right now, I just have to stay calm.

"Go home, take a rest, and wait for what Leviatán has for us. And if I'm not on Leviatán next year, or maybe a teammate, see for next year what's going on, which team are we playing? Or maybe some players are just leaving the game. Everything can happen. And right now, there's no moment to think about the future. It's moment to take a rest, and the future's just going to come. So, take it patiently and calm."

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