G2’s m0NESY unfazed by potential clash with s1mple: “Not scared of NAVI”

G2 Esports’ rising CS:GO star, Ilya ‘m0NESY’ Osipov, has said that he is unconcerned about the possibility of meeting NAVI’s Aleksandr ‘s1mple’ Kostyliev in the semi-finals of IEM Katowice.

G2 secured the final spot in the IEM Katowice playoffs after moving past Astralis in Group B’s lower bracket final. They will take on Virtus.pro in the first round of the knockout stages, with the winner going on to face NAVI in the semi-finals.

That would put m0NESY up against s1mple for the first time since the 16-year-old left NAVI’s youth setup to join G2 Esports in a reported $600,000 move.

Because of his playstyle and the region he hails from, m0NESY has often earned comparisons with s1mple, even among professional players. In a press conference ahead of the playoffs, Virtus.pro captain Dzhami ‘Jame’ Ali labeled the G2 youngster the “new s1mple” – a form of validation but at the same time a significant source of pressure.

But none of that seems to bother m0NESY. Questioned about the possibility of meeting NAVI in the semi-finals, the Russian wonderkid said that he’s looking forward to testing himself against the defending Major champions – and singled out his former NAVI Academy teammate Valeriy ‘b1t’ Vakhovskiy as the player he wants to face the most.

“I’m not scared of playing against strong opponents,” he told reporters. “I always want to learn something. It will be tough, but I’m not scared to face this team [NAVI].

“I want to play against them. I want to play against b1t.”

Adapting to a new type of CS

M0NESY’s transfer from NAVI’s academy program to G2 Esports, a team with aspirations of winning Major titles, was a considerable step up, but the 16-year-old has managed to hold his own.

• Read more: Who is m0NESY, G2 CSGO’s new AWP prodigy?

He is averaging a 1.15 HLTV rating in Katowice heading into the playoffs, proving that he has adapted to his new surroundings quickly.

“They play CS a bit differently,” he said when asked about the difference in level between academy and top-tier CS. “In tier 3 or tier 4, you just need to kill. You just need to use your skill.”