We caught up with Epitacio "TACO" de Melo and quizzed the Brazilian player on matters concerning SK's preparation for cs_summit and the team's recent dip in form.

SK Gaming will attend cs_summit hoping to get back to winning ways, with the team having failed to lift a trophy since winning the ESL One Cologne Major, last Summer.

After taking third-fourth at the ELEAGUE Major and second at DraemHack Masters Las Vegas, the Brazilians crashed out of the IEM World Championship in the group stage and failed to make it past the Swiss round at the SL i-League StarSeries event. As such, a good run in Los Angeles, where cs_summit will take place, would come as a massive boost to the team ahead of the $200,000 IEM Sydney.



TACO believes the team is on the right track

Read on to find out what Epitacio "⁠TACO⁠" de Melo had to say about dealing with a string of disappointing results, João "⁠felps⁠" Vasconcellos's adaptation to the team, the preparation for cs_summit and more.

What are your expectations heading into the tournament? Are you aiming for the title or do you wish the team to get some stability, first and foremost? I am still confident that our team is able to win any tournament and beat any team. We are here to win. Of course that, by looking at our recent results, we are not favourites, but since top teams like Astralis, Virtus.pro, Na`Vi, G2 and FaZe will not be in attendance, I believe our chances are higher. Your first opponent will be EnVyUs. What is your opinion about them? The fact that they are a new team affects your preparation? We have little information about them because they have not played at any offline event with this lineup yet. Despite that, we have watched some of their online matches, and I know they have a well-trained team, with experienced players who can make the difference. We will need to be wary of them, even though we are favourites for this match. Considering that you were the best team in the world in 2016 and you have not been at your best this year, do you feel more pressure to get back to winning ways? I believe this fluctuation is normal in teams who have reached the top. Of course that there is pressure, but it is up to us to deal with it in the best possible way and practice as much as possible to innovate and surprise again. By looking at our latest practices, I believe we are on the right track and with the right mindset. cs_summit will have a more relaxed atmosphere than the one you usually find in tournaments. Do you think this could be ideal for your team, with all the pressure surrounding it? We are experienced enough to not get shaken up by external pressure. The format of the tournament is cool and positive, but I do not believe it will have a big impact. There is a trophy on the line, and we will fight to get it. Surely the latest results cannot be explained by just one factor. Do you think the team is taking some time to get used to the recent roster changes? Yes, I do. Adapting to those changes was our sole focus in practice. There is so much more to CS than kills and highlights. CS is about teams, roles, a system, teamplay and lot of practice. Understanding that allowed me to help my team to win two Majors. felps' style is completely different from fnx's. We knew that when we decided to bring him in, but we thought it would be easy for him to adapt. We ended up realising that it was not that easy. With all the potential and the talent he has, it is a matter of time before he adapts to our system and plays the way we need.



TACO admits that the team could get a coach in the future