SAW captain Christopher “MUTiRiS” Fernandes believes his newly rebuilt Counter-Strike 2 roster could need several months before reaching its full potential.
The Portuguese team secured a place in the Esports World Cup 2026 Open Qualifier playoffs after finishing second in Group 3 in Paris. SAW defeated EAC twice but lost 0-2 to DENDELE, giving the team an early indication of how much work remains following its recent reconstruction.
For MUTiRiS, those problems are not unexpected. The 33-year-old estimates SAW will need roughly three or four months to reach a strong level, with further improvements potentially coming across the following months.
SAW Survive Their First LAN Test
The EWC qualifier is SAW’s first LAN tournament since the current lineup came together in July.
Despite having several players with previous experience together, the roster is effectively rebuilding its competitive identity. MUTiRiS, story and ewjerkz have played alongside each other before, but time spent on different teams has changed their individual habits and approaches to the game.
SAW’s route through Group 3 included:
- Two victories over Danish side EAC
- A 0-2 defeat against DENDELE
- Second place in the group
- Qualification for the 32-team playoff bracket
MUTiRiS explained that preparing six maps simultaneously has made the early stages particularly demanding. He also believes experience gained away from one another means former teammates now need time to understand how each other approaches modern CS2.
SAW reaching the playoffs is therefore less a sign that the rebuilding process is complete and more an opportunity to accelerate it under LAN pressure.
MUTiRiS Expects a Long Development Process
The Portuguese captain is setting relatively cautious expectations.
He believes the team can reach a good competitive level within three or four months, while another few months could be needed before SAW operates closer to its potential. That timeline reflects both tactical work and the need for several players to regain competitive rhythm.
| SAW player | Current role in rebuild |
|---|---|
| MUTiRiS | Captain and experienced IGL |
| story | Tactical support and established core member |
| ewjerkz | Returning after extended inactivity |
| krazy | Brings experience gained outside SAW |
| NOPEEj | Adapting to higher-level competition |
MUTiRiS and ewjerkz both spent time away from regular competition. The captain stressed that Counter-Strike changes quickly, with shifts in the meta and general approach making continuous practice particularly important.
That makes the EWC qualifier valuable even beyond the possibility of reaching the main event.
Pressure Is Part of the Rebuilding Process
For MUTiRiS, competing at a high-pressure LAN gives SAW something practice cannot fully reproduce.
Official tournaments expose mistakes that may remain hidden during scrims. Poor calls, communication problems and individual decisions immediately become more costly when elimination is on the line.
The EWC Open Qualifier intensifies that challenge because its playoff stage is single elimination. There is no lower bracket once teams leave the group phase.
The key development areas for SAW include:
- Building a consistent six-map pool
- Re-establishing chemistry between returning teammates
- Helping NOPEEj adjust to stronger international opposition
- Improving decision-making during high-pressure rounds
MUTiRiS specifically identified NOPEEj as the player still adapting most to this competitive environment. He believes the individual quality exists in Portuguese Counter-Strike but suggested players from lower-ranked teams can face a significant adjustment when mistakes are punished more consistently by stronger opponents.
BC.Game Experience Changed MUTiRiS’ Expectations
The rebuild also follows MUTiRiS’ short spell with BC.Game.
He acknowledged that he had been overly optimistic about how quickly he could make that international roster function. The experience appears to have influenced his more patient outlook with SAW, where he now emphasises gradual improvement instead of expecting immediate results.
His confidence in the current lineup is partly based on the support around him.
MUTiRiS singled out story as an important tactical partner who regularly discusses possible approaches and ideas with him. Having another experienced voice inside the server reduces the burden on the in-game leader and gives SAW more room to develop collectively.
The captain also believes krazy has matured from his own experience with BC.Game, while ewjerkz returns as a considerably more experienced player than during earlier versions of the Portuguese core.
SAW Still Believe They Can Reach Their Previous Heights
Patience does not mean SAW have abandoned ambitious targets.
The organisation previously demonstrated that Portuguese cores can challenge considerably higher-ranked opposition, most notably with a semi-final appearance at IEM Cologne 2024. Several members of the current project were part of that broader era.
MUTiRiS believes another strong version of SAW can emerge, but the team needs matches and time rather than immediate roster conclusions.
The EWC qualifier offers exactly that type of environment. SAW entered the 32-team knockout bracket knowing one defeat could end their run, turning every series into both a qualification opportunity and a development test.
Assessment
SAW’s playoff qualification is an encouraging first result, but MUTiRiS is deliberately keeping expectations controlled.
The Portuguese roster has recognizable talent and existing relationships, yet this is not simply the restoration of an old lineup. Players have returned with different experiences, habits and levels of recent activity.
Three or four months is a substantial timeline in modern Counter-Strike, where organisations often make changes quickly when results disappoint. SAW’s challenge will be proving enough progress during that period to justify the patience.
For now, the EWC Open Qualifier provides the ideal testing ground. Every high-pressure series gives MUTiRiS and his teammates information about what needs fixing. The immediate objective may be qualification, but the larger goal is rebuilding SAW into a team capable of challenging international opposition consistently again.
