BR6 Stage 3 Preview: Brazil’s SI future hangs in balance, Ubisoft confirms absence of relegation

Heading into the final stage of the season, most of the teams in Brazil are still in the fight to qualify for the Six Invitational. Lots hangs in the balance as to how many teams from the region will go to SI 2023 and who they will be.

Teams

• w7m esports: HerdsZ, Kheyze, Jv92, volpz, JULIO, Abreu (coach), igoorctg (coach)

• Team Liquid: Paluh, NESKWGA, resetz, AsK, Lagonis, hugzord (coach), mcunha (analyst)

• Team oNe: Dotz, d4sh, rhZ, Maia, L0BIN, IntacT (coach)

• FURIA Esports: Miracle, Fntzy, R4re, Handyy, Stk, Kizi (analyst)

• FaZe Clan: Astro, cameram4n, soulz1, Bullet1, Cyber, Ramalho (coach)

• Black Dragons: Patoxy, nade, ion, Peres, Bassetto, freezao (coach), thug (analyst)

• MIBR: Faallz, FelipoX, LuKid, Rappz, reduct, Dark (coach),  

• Ninjas in Pyjamas: Kamikaze, Psycho, Muzi, pino, Wizard, Sneepy (coach)

• 00 Nation: KDS, Levy, S3xyCake, Neskin, live, TchubZ (coach), RafadeLL (analyst)

• TropiCaos: DRUNKKZZ, PpWs, ZaaK, yektz, kondz, Vittzzz (coach), Hellraiser (analyst)

Storylines to watch in Brazil

Six Invitational 2023 Global Standings: Brazil in delicate spot

Of the 20 teams that will be present at the Six Invitational 2023, 16 of them will qualify through the Global Standings.

But the odds seem stacked against Brazilian teams, who have been unhappy with the current competitive system since it was unveiled. In Brazil, only the top four are awarded with SI Points, whereas in Europe and North America, that’s extended to eight teams. 

This season’s Copa Elite Six format aimed to give South American and Mexican rosters a better chance to make it to an international stage.

Instead, it has deprived mid and bottom-table teams in Brazil of opportunities to build towards qualification to the upcoming Six Invitational. For example, back-to-back Six Invitational top four side MIBR and former Mexico Major champions’ core 00 Nation are already virtually out of the SI Global Standings race. 

With only FURIA Esports and w7m esports having more than 600 SI Points, this stage will be differential for Brazil and the region’s aspirations to lift the hammer.

Is Lagonis' leadership what Team Liquid has needed?

Lorenzo “Lagonis” Volpi has quickly become a well-respected IGL for fans and fellow players. After an almost two-year spell in Team oNe, with whom he won the Mexico Major and masterminded another rookie team to the Charlotte Major quarter-finals while playing at a big disadvantage, he decided to move on and sign for Team Liquid.

Liquid will be looking towards his experience and leadership, skills that were pivotal for Team oNe’s Mexico Major success and the rebuild of the roster when 00 Nation picked up most of the squad. 

Joining Team Liquid, the roster will likely move Gabriel “AsK” Santos from the team’s IGL role in favor of Lagonis. Although that’s most likely going to be an improvement, is that what the team really needs?

After FURIA’s defeat to FaZe Clan, the former coach Julio “JULIO” Giacomelli mentioned that “Liquid is a really good team but doesn’t have this really aggresive player”, when referring to his own player Diogo “Fntzy” Lima.

But it has also seemed like Team Liquid have been struggling with leadership issues for the last year. AsK was signed as Thiago “xS3xyCake” Reis’ replacement, as the team’s coach and analyst Marcelo “mcunha” Cunha stated one stage after the signing was made.

JULIO is back to the game

Despite w7m esports’ unparalleled dominance in the BR6, the team decided to part ways with Gleidson “GdNN1” Nunes to sign former world champion Julio “JULIO” Giacomelli.

Julio parted ways with Ninjas in Pyjamas after the conclusion of the first stage, joining FURIA Esports  as the team’s coach heading to Stage 2. Now, the Brazilian is back as a player and hungry to build upon his legacy after the three-month break. 

For some, that’s a controversial decision. GdNN1 was and still is labeled as one of the best support players in the region, having performed the highest number of plants at the Berlin Major. Now, the Brazilian player will miss Stage 3 as the move was done two days before the conclusion of the transfer window.

No relegation after Ubisoft’s most recent announcement

After TropiCaos bought the INTZ team, it was unclear if it would stay in the BR6 for long; its new team is at the bottom of the standings six points behind 00 Nation, who are in ninth. However, according to a Ubisoft announcement made this week, all LATAM competitions won’t have relegations this year.

This means that teams will battle to qualify for this stage’s Copa Elite Six, while the other six will compete in the third stage of the Copa do Brasil.

Black Dragons, MIBR, and 00 Nation will thus only have to focus on qualifying for what would be their first international appearance of the year. Team oNe’s new roster will also attempt to qualify, as the wizards will miss out on the Six Invitational if they miss out on the November Major.

The top four rosters in the overall standings after the conclusion of the third stage will automatically qualify for the BR6 Finals, which will be played before the Six Invitational.

Catch the start of the BR6 on Sep. 17 at 17:00 PM (UTC-2).