NiKo: "We are not carrying the confidence we had from the Major well, it hurt us more than we benefitted"
HLTV reports that NiKo attributes the Falcons' recent performance struggles to an inability to properly harness the momentum from their Major victory. The player noted that the pressure associated with the title has negatively impacted the team's confidence entering the new season.
What happened
HLTV reports that NiKo has identified a discrepancy in how the Falcons squad has carried their confidence following their Major championship win. He suggests that the weight of the result has hampered their start to the current competitive season rather than providing the intended benefits.
This assessment highlights the internal challenges the roster faces as they attempt to reconcile their recent tournament success with their current form. NiKo's comments serve as a direct reflection on the team's difficulty in maintaining a high performance level after securing their major trophy.
Recent context
On August 29, 2026, it was reported that Falcons defeated Legacy to secure a spot in the BLAST Open playoffs. This victory occurred after the team moved past a previous loss against the Brazilian squad, marking a milestone in their progress during the tournament, which serves as a point of reference for the team's activity before the current season struggles discussed by NiKo. Falcons overwhelm Legacy for Open playoffs
On September 4, 2026, reports detailed how the Falcons moved into the BLAST Open Porto semifinals by defeating G2. The result represented their fourth consecutive win over the organization since the addition of m0NESY, highlighting the team's performance streak leading up to the period NiKo describes as challenging for their overall confidence. Falcons ease past G2 into Porto semis
On September 5, 2026, it was reported that the Falcons were eliminated from the BLAST Open Porto event following a loss to Spirit in the semifinals. This result ended their tournament run and aligns with the timeline of recent competitive outings that NiKo refers to when discussing the team's inability to leverage their Major win. Spirit advance to BLAST Porto final over Falcons
Readers can find the original report on HLTV.
Related on CS2Feed
Falcons overwhelm Legacy for Open playoffs
Falcons ease past G2 into Porto semis
max: "We are not confident right now and we are not making good decisions"
Spirit advance to BLAST Porto final over Falcons
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Update — 2026-09-05 18:02 UTC
Помимо общего психологического давления, NiKo выделил проблемы с мап-пулом как ключевой фактор нестабильности команды. Он отметил, что результаты тренировок часто не находят отражения в официальных матчах, а команда слишком сильно полагается на Dust2, что делает их уязвимыми перед подготовкой соперников.
В ходе турнира в Порту коллектив проиграл четыре из пяти карт, выбранных ими для игры. Игрок подчеркнул, что команде необходимо снизить значимость результатов спаррингов и сосредоточиться на подходе к матчам, где цена победы является максимальной.
It can be hard mentally when you are constantly losing your map pick
— NiKo, as quoted by cs2news.com.
Source: cs2news.com.
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