G2 Esports grabbed a ticket to the 2022 LEC Spring Split playoffs last weekend. With a victory over Team BDS and with little help from Fnatic, whose victory over MAD Lions erased all possibilities of G2 missing playoffs, the powerhouse of old has reached the best-of-5 stage yet again. However, it wasn't all roses last weekend. So too realized G2's bot laner Victor "Flakked" Lirola.

After the win against BDS, Flakked spoke to Inven Global and reflected on the tumultuous weekend. The Spanish rookie also spoke extensively about his role as a bringer of positivity to the team's environment, the impact it has on the roster, and how it has forged a strong bond with mid laner Rasmus "caPs" Winther.

Welcome Flakked, and congrats on the victory against BDS. It was a convincing win overall, though maybe when they stole Baron—

Yeah, we had some Vietnam flashbacks then! [Laughs]

"Years ago, if I lost, that day and the next day would be completely ruined. Now I learn from my mistakes"

[Laughs] Right, some flashbacks to the loss against Misfits on Friday. But yes, as I said, a comfortable victory otherwise.

[Friday's] loss, of course, was really painful. I was really proud of the early game we had. In the past weeks, we were trying to work out our early game because we realized that we had one of the worst early games in the LEC.

Then we play against Misfits, who are in second place, and we 11-0 them, are 14K ahead at 18 minutes... Of course, we have an early-game composition, but we played it almost perfectly. I was really happy. But then later, we had the overextend incident into two aces, into Nashor bounty... [Laughs] I mean, yeah. It was a sh*tshow.

I feel really happy today. This win [against BDS] is kind of important. I think we can still make top 4, but at least we secure playoffs. That is a relief, because of our past weeks. Overall, I'm pretty happy with this win.

Heading into the Split, I suppose reaching the playoffs was a bare minimum. Can you expand a bit on why it was a relief to get that playoffs spot secured?

I think we could have made top 1 for sure. But we had really weird games on-stage. I wouldn't say that securing playoffs is our objective. We're really happy about it, but we already counted on it. But after our performances in the last two weeks, at least I myself am kinda relieved that we've made it to the playoffs.

Let's put the results aside and talk more about your place on the team. You seem to be an emotional player. Dylan Falco told me a few weeks ago that you're a big force of positivity in G2 — how do you see yourself fit into the team?

Yeah, I've always said that I'm a really emotional player. I'm always really happy in wins. I used to be really sad in losses, but now I can control it a bit more. Years ago, if I lost, that day and the next day would be completely ruined. Now I learn from my mistakes and I try to fix my personality a bit.

I really like it when everyone is so hyped about winning. You cannot expect Jankos to shout and cry when he wins, because he's played a lot of f***ing games, but I'm a rookie. I'm in G2, which already makes me really proud of myself. Winning games, especially when we win games that I consider we played really well, makes me really happy.

I think it benefits everyone. Especially caPs, I would say. I don't think he's a really emotional player, but if he's around good vibes, he's a monster. I think me and caPs complement each other well. If he's sad, I try to make him happy. If I'm sad, he tries to make me happy. It's a good duo.

"I would sit down and I would have Jankos and caPs next to me. That's like having f***ing Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi next to you."

How quickly was that bond forged? I can imagine that, when you come into the team, you still look up to caPs as he's one of the most decorated players mid laners of all time.

In the beginning, especially when I was doing the tryouts here in Berlin, it was so crazy to me. I would sit down and I would have Jankos and caPs next to me. That's like having f***ing Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi next to you, you know? It's like you're 16 and then you get Ronaldo and Messi playing with you. It was insanely shocking.

But I was so surprised about caPs. When I see him in interviews, he looks like a really cute and innocent guy. But some people have like a character, let's say. Sometimes, they perform as if they're another guy. caPs is super real. He is the way he shows he is. It was a bit shocking for me. I didn't expect the guy I considered the best mid laner for years to be like that. I expected someone turbo-serious, super strict with everything. And then he's so chill, it's so fun.

When did you start to feel more comfortable with the team?

After I signed, I would say. When I was doing tryouts, I was competing in Spain, playing the Iberian Cup. So, I didn't have much time. And I knew they were trying out a lot of people as well. I was in an insane tryhard mode. When I'm really tryhard, I don't usually joke around. Now, if in a scrim I die, maybe we can make a joke or something. But imagine you're doing tryouts, you die, and you just start laughing or doing stupid things...

Lastly, I want to tie together what we've spoken about so far. The expectations for G2 in the LEC and you being an emotional player. Especially after the loss against Misfits, you seemed to receive a lot of criticism. How does that affect you?

Ever since joining G2, I don't feel like I've had a lot of pressure. Of course, there is the pressure of performing every game, winning every game because you're G2. You're supposed to be one of the best — if not the best — teams in the LEC. But yeah, everyone here is so chill and there are always really good vibes, so it's really hard to feel pressure. Of course, when you're playing on-stage, there is gonna be pressure. There is gonna be nerves. But it's the nerves of the pure competition. I don't think my mind is going against me. It's pretty chill.

About the Misfits game: after the game, I was feeling pretty happy, actually. We had a team talk where I was really happy because we played really well in the early game. Of course, everyone was kind of down. That game... [Laughs] It's really cringe that we lose that game.

"If you win, you're the best. If you lose, you're the worst AD carry in the league, you're the worst team in the league."

Yeah, it is. [Laughs]

You could say it's not acceptable or that it's acceptable, but it is what it is. We lost. We just gotta move forward. I really tried my best to cheer up the team because we cannot fall into depression mode. We really need to secure one or two wins.

So, I тweeted about it and I got flamed hard. [Laughs] I was тweeting what I said: it is what it is. Yeah, we threw. We wanted to go for a record, we wanted to finish fast and make it hype and spicy. But then we f***ed and they had Akali/Yuumi into our comp — we cannot do much against it. So, it is what it is.

Today I wasn't looking that happy because yesterday I got completely flamed. I understand the fans' reaction, that they are mad and they are pissed. As we said, that game, you cannot lose it. But I don't think I said anything wrong or anything. I just said that it is what it is. The past is in the past. We just need to move on. The more you think, the worse it becomes.

You also need to realize that it's just Twitter. Today you win, and then the fans are all very excited and positive again.

Yeah. If you win, you're the best. If you lose, you're the worst AD carry in the league, you're the worst team in the league. It is what it is. We're G2 and usually G2, as a brand, BMs a lot and likes to trash-talk in a funny banter way. It's not like we're Astralis or something. So of course, if we lose, we're gonna get really f***ed on social media. Especially if we lose while being 14k ahead at minute 18. [Laughs]