
In an interview at the IEM Cologne Major 2026, paiN Gaming captain Rodrigo “biguzera” Bittencourt discussed the reasons for his team’s loss in the match against Monte and shared his thoughts following their elimination from the tournament.
I don’t even know what to say. We started off well on Nuke—we were up 3-0—but then we gave up a 1v3 clutch, and after that we just couldn’t come back. It was tough to play today, especially given Monte’s aggressive style. It’s very difficult to compete against such determined players as afro... Sometimes you just don’t have luck on your side.
To be honest, on the second map we faced a lot of pressure and serious server issues. Our team managed to put up a fight, but still lost 11-13. I think we didn’t have the right mindset for the match today.
This season is over for us. Of course, we really wanted to go as far as possible in the Major—especially for the fans who watched our matches and supported us constantly. It’s disappointing to be eliminated in the second stage, but that’s the reality. We performed very poorly at this tournament. Everyone is very upset right now. However, we are determined to work on our game and get better.
Earlier, paiN Gaming lost to Monte in a Round 5 match of the second stage of the IEM Cologne Major 2026 with a score of 0-2 on maps. The Brazilian team finished the tournament in 20th–22nd place and earned $10,000 in prize money.