FURIA Benches Drop!

André “drop” Abreu is reportedly at risk of being removed from the team as the Brazilian roster undergoes a revamp following a disappointing spring season.

FURIA is beginning their off-season overhaul by benching drop, as stated in a report from Dust2.com.br. The team is actively seeking a seasoned player to replace the 19-year-old Abreu. However, due to high buyout costs, FURIA might consider promoting Kaue “kauez” Kaschuk, another player from their academy, if they are unable to secure a suitable replacement.

Amidst ongoing rumors, FURIA‘s interest in Gabriel “FalleN” Toledo has emerged, adding to the team’s potential roster changes. Initially, FalleN was linked to a move with FURIA in early June, and later, paiN Gaming was also reported to have expressed interest on June 6.

According to Dust2.com.br’s report, FURIA and FalleN have had their initial meeting regarding a potential signing. It was further mentioned that FalleN would potentially replace Rafael “saffee” Costa on the team. However, it should be noted that no official confirmation has been made at this point.

For almost two years, drop had been a part of FURIA‘s starting lineup, joining forces with arT and the rest of the team in August 2021. He was brought in as a replacement for honda after being promoted from FURIA‘s academy roster.

Throughout his two-year tenure, drop consistently struggled and was often considered the weakest player on the team. Over 204 maps, he maintained a rating of 0.96. However, when specifically looking at his performance in 2023, his rating dropped further to 0.89. In comparison, KSCERATO emerged as FURIA‘s standout performer with a rating of 1.22, significantly surpassing drop.

Overall, FURIA has had a disappointing year, with limited success in tournaments. Their most notable achievement came at the BLAST.tv Paris Major Americas RMR, where they secured first place and the only Legends Stage spot available. However, their performance in other events was lackluster, finishing in 15-16th place at a $1.25 million tournament in France, being eliminated in the Play-In stage of IEM Katowice, and exiting ESL Pro League Season 17 in 9-12th place.

Following the player break, FURIA has a series of upcoming tournaments scheduled. Led by arT, the team will resume competition with the IEM Cologne Play-In taking place on July 25-26.

According to the report, here is the current roster of FURIA:

• Yuri “yuurih” Santos
• Andrei “arT” Piovezan
• Kaike “KSCERATO” Cerato
• Rafael “saffee” Costa
• Nicholas “guerri” Nogueira (coach)
• Brazil André “drop” Abreu (benched)