Worlds 2020 Play-In Team Preview: Breaking Down INTZ

We look at INTZ, their path to Worlds 2020, and how they might fare in the play-in stage.

The 2020 World Championship is almost here, starting with the all-important play-in stages which will decide who slots into the final four places in the group stage. One of the teams competing in the Worlds 2020 play-ins is the CBLOL champions INTZ, the number one seed from Brazil.

This will be INTZ’s second appearance at the World Championship after they finished 4th in the group stages at the 2016 tournament. Could 2020 be the first year a Brazilian team makes it to the Worlds knockout stages?

The Season

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Against all odds, INTZ went from nearly being relegated to Worl Championship qualification in the space of four months. In Split 1 of the CBLOL, INTZ concluded the regular season with an 8-13 record, forcing them into a relegation playoff against Team oNe eSports. Fortunately, they won this series 3-2 and remained in the CBLOL.

Split 2 was a huge improvement, despite the fact that zero roster changes were made. INTZ went 12-9 in the regular season and were crowned CBLOL champions after a triumphant playoffs run, defeating KaBuM! and paiN Gaming. As a result, INTZ qualified for the World Championship as Brazil’s first and only seed.

The Roster

Top Lane – Rodrigo “Tay” Panisa

Winning a second CBLOL title and qualifying for Worlds for the first time, it has been quite an eventful few months for INTZ’s Tay. The top laner has been an integral part of the Brazilian champions’ Split 2 resurgence, showcasing his skills on over 12 unique picks and securing 13 solo kills through the regular season.

Jungle – Diogo “Shini” Rogê

Shini has been INTZ’s first-team jungler since 2017 and has just lifted his second CBLOL trophy with the organization. Unlike most Season 10 junglers, Shini prefers to play a carry role for the team and this is illustrated by his average 17.3% damage share, the second-highest of any jungler in the CBLOL Split 2 regular season.

Mid – Bruno “Envy” Farias

When INTZ are looking to build an early gold lead or pick up a kill during the laning phase, Envy is the focus. The INTZ mid has established a lane kingdom in the CBLOL in 2020 with 9 solo kills, +205 gold difference at 15 minutes, and a first blood participation rate of 25%.

ADC – Micael “micaO” Rodrigues

micaO is the most recent addition to the INTZ roster having signed for the team ahead of the second split of 2019 after a brief spell with Vivo Keyd.

With the likes of Bvoy and brTT to compete with, it’s no surprise that micaO has struggled to challenge the top AD carries in the league. That being said, micaO clearly got the better of his opposition in the CBLOL playoffs with a 6.6 KDA and 31.7% damage share.

Support – Ygor “RedBert” Freitas

RedBert is one of two members of the INTZ line-up that has prior Worlds experience which could prove vital in a stacked play-in group. The support player was a member of the Team oNe eSports side that reached the play-in elimination round but lost 3-1 to 1907 Fenerbahçe.

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90/50/10 Predictions

90% odds that…INTZ beat either MAD Lions or Team Liquid to kick off days of humiliation for whichever region was on the receiving end of the defeat.

50% odds that…INTZ qualify for the Worlds group stage through play-ins. Although their group is heavily stacked against them, INTZ should make it to the final of the play-in knockout stage and face off against PSG Talon or V3 Esports in a best-of-five to decide their fate.

10% odds that…INTZ emulate fellow Brazilians KaBuM! by taking down a European team (MAD Lions) in groups, opening up the path for a North American team (Team Liquid) to automatically qualify for the next stage of the tournament.

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