Elyoya: “We’re not being disciplined enough in practice and it’s hurting us”

LoL Esports

March 30, 2025

Lee Jones

Jojopyun’s arrival as the first-ever NA to EU import raised expectations for Movistar KOI after its majority-Spanish roster performed admirably in 2024. While Winter’s 4th-place finish was hardly disastrous, the finish fell below the lofty expectations of the organisation.

After a short break, MKOI returned to action for day one of the Spring split with a 2-1 defeat to heavyweights G2. We spoke to jungler and captain Javier “Elyoya” Prades for an interview after the loss.

Esports.net: What are your immediate thoughts on today’s series? What do you think was different in the game one and three losses compared to the game two win?

Elyoya: I think game one, it’s one of these games that we didn’t show up at all. We weren’t really focused. I think our preparation into the game was pretty bad and we were really not focused. So I mean, I take the full blame here.

I wasn’t really with the mind where I had to be. And yeah, the performance was awful coming from the team. And game three, I would say we had a pretty hard draft to execute. We also didn’t really find a way to play the game with our composition. And I also take the blame on this one. I think today’s loss, that was on me.

Why do you think there might be a focus issue? Perhaps still getting into the swing of things after a break?

Yeah, I would say so. I think I need to figure out what happened game one mostly and how to win game three. I think both are some scenarios that, yeah, I’ll have to work on individually.

I would say also, as a team, we didn’t perform at the best. But mostly I want to take the blame for this series.

Image credit: Riot Games

Lee Jones: It’s a quick turnaround to face Karmine Corp tomorrow.

What are your thoughts ahead of that series?

Elyoya: It’s that we are gonna win. That doesn’t change anything. What happens today won’t really affect me tomorrow. We’ve been working well. I don’t really have nothing to be scared of — nothing to fear. I just have to focus on myself and focus on performing and things will work out.

Could it end up beneficial to have faced G2 and KC — the Winter finalists — first?

Lee Jones: A win against KC would surely be great momentum heading into ‘easier’ opponents.

Elyoya: Yeah, for sure. I like playing the best teams anytime, so I don’t really mind that we face them right now. So yeah, sure.

Getting a win tomorrow would be a huge win, obviously because they are also the champions of the previous season. It would be also really good for momentum and everything.

What have been the main things you guys are working on to improve from Winter coming into Spring?

Elyoya: I would say mostly is the practice. We need to step up in the practice. We are not really using the practice as well as we should and that’s really hurting us in terms of performance. I think it shows up that we are not being, I would say, disciplined enough in the practice and it’s something that is hurting us. So, yeah, we would have to work on that the most right now.

Lee Jones: Over the break, Fearless has been confirmed as the drafting method to be used throughout the rest of the year and presumably beyond.

Are you happy with the change? Have you enjoyed playing Fearless?

Elyoya: Yeah, mostly I’m happy with Fearless. I think it brings a lot of variety to new champions. I think it also makes the better players show up, so if you don’t have a good champion pool coming into a game, you will be quite hurt in that regard. So I’m quite happy with this change. I think it also just benefits the league itself. So, yeah, I’m happy overall.

Lee Jones: Another change was the removal of laneswaps. Are you please to see the back of those?

Elyoya: Well, me, since I wasn’t the top laner or the bot lane, I enjoyed it. I think it gave some more macro-game to the game in the early stages. I also think it was a bit toxic for the game itself — you were avoiding pretty much every lane that you wanted. So, yeah, I think it’s a good change that they removed it, but I liked it the way it was.

Lee Jones: You’ll have the LEC roadshow in Madrid in a few weeks that MKOI are hosting and will essentially feel like a home fixture for your side.

How much are you looking forward to it?

Elyoya: A lot. I would say it kind of gives me the vibes of a final, since there is not many games that are played on a big stage. Overall, I’m really looking forward to it, I think just playing on stage, it’s so much more happiness overall, you know, even more when it’s a big stage. So I’m really excited.

How’s Jojopyun’s Spanish? Will he be ready to meet the fans?

I hope he is. We are training him well, so yeah. He has to get on the Duolingo, but he’ll be good.