MOUZ have added two 18-year-olds, Adrian “xelex” Vincze and Oldřich “PR” Nový, to their roster during the offseason, with their first test coming at BLAST Bounty 2026 S2.
The international squad qualified for the LAN Finals and dispatched 3DMAX in the quarters to keep their encouraging run going, but Dorian “xertioN” Berman says they need to improve in the future.
“I think our performance on the first two maps especially was pretty poor, much lower than the level we usually play at in practice,” he told HLTV after the win against the French squad.
“But you also have to learn to win those games, and win the mental battles when you’re not playing your best.”
He also touched on the lowered expectations of the current MOUZ roster, his ongoing adaptation to IGLing, and the rest of the tournament in Malta.
Congrats on the win. It was a tough game, but you seemed to level up with every map, with the final one pretty comfortable. How would you describe your performance today?
Honestly, I think our performance on the first two maps especially was pretty poor, much lower than the level we usually play at in practice. But you also have to learn to win those games, win the mental battles when you’re not playing your best.
We won a lot of clutches, which shows a lot of individual brilliance from the guys, and I tried to put them in good positions. Definitely some things to review in terms of how the game went, but overall it just took us too much time to get into it, and I’m happy we won.
It looked like 3DMAX anti-stratted you, especially on Dust2 with their B executes, after picking you in the draft. Did it feel that way to you, or was it more their strong game plan?
Of course they had a game plan, every team does nowadays. They had the advantage of knowing they’d probably pick us, so they could prep earlier than we could. But I don’t think it came down to that. Mentally we just weren’t in the game on Dust2.
We had three or four rounds where it was almost three B, we knew it was B, and we still lost it. That’s more on us individually, making better decisions when they’re actually coming B. I don’t think we got surprised much, it was more that they won the actual execute. Sometimes it’s just like that. It’s important we evaluate this and move forward.
You’ve been the IGL for a few months now, but you were already a vocal player before that. How much did it actually change for you on the server?
In terms of the micro, the mid-rounds, how we execute, it didn’t change much. I was always very involved in how we go into bombsites or take areas. But I definitely have more control now. I’m the IGL, I call practically 95% of rounds on both sides, so I have a lot more responsibility.
The change has been mostly mental, needing to actually be a leader, to be there for the guys even when we’re not playing well. It’s something I’m working on. Sometimes I tilt maybe a bit too much and need to focus on the game, so there are definitely some weaknesses there for me to explore.
Sometimes I tilt maybe a bit too much and need to focus on the game
One thing that’s definitely not a weakness is your fragging, which seems to have improved since you took over IGL duties, when usually it drops. Why do you think that didn’t happen with you?
I think I just spend more time on theory and watching demos now than I did in the past, and that’s helped me become a better player. On the CT side especially, I have a much better understanding of how the Ts want to play in a lot of moments, so I’m more ready for how they’re playing.
I put in more preparation, working on new rounds and things like that, so I try to put us in good positions, and it also helps that I can actually shoot when the opponents hit my face. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: I want to be a different type of IGL, not a liability, but someone who can frag out and maybe even save us with his mechanics and individual ability.
xelex played with you before, and the other new addition, PR, is also not very experienced at tier-one, and both are just 18. How have you found bringing two such young players into the system?
It’s a little bit weird because we were a top 5 team for so long before, something like two years consistently as MOUZ. So right now we talk about taking a step back to take two steps forward. We haven’t won many trophies in the past, and right now we’re stepping back, lowering the expectations, trying to see where we can go with this roster. Hopefully at some point we’ll get back to a level where we can contend for titles like we did before, but we decided this move will benefit us a lot long-term.
Hopefully at some point we’ll get back to a level where we can contend for titles
I’m really happy with what the guys are showing, they’re working super hard, and that’s something that’s really important for me and my coach to see in the players. I think the future is bright for this team, and for the young guys especially. We just have to see how it all develops and how we can improve going forward.
You’re through to the semis, where you’ll avoid Spirit, potentially meeting them in the final if you both win. Is getting that Spirit matchup, to see where you stand against a top team, the goal?
On paper I think we’d be favorites against either team that picks us, whoever wins. But we’re still a fresh team, so we’re not putting too much expectation or pressure on ourselves. We’re much more focused on playing better.
After Dust2 today, for example, it was clear we needed to raise our mentality and focus, we were losing rounds we maybe shouldn’t. We’re still a very young team, we can’t expect to beat anyone convincingly, we can’t expect to go into the final and beat Spirit, for example. But of course we’re striving for it, working hard towards it, and just trying every day to get better and better.
