LOUD to arrive late in NA for VCT Split 1 practice due to visa delays
Top 4 VCT Masters Madrid finisher LOUD is likely to be limited in their practice for Stage 1 of the Americas season. As Matias "Saadhak" Delipetro revealed, the four Brazilian players on his squad are currently stuck, waiting for their visas and will be cutting it close before the start in early April.
Visa-related delays
After a solid showing at VCT Masters Madrid, during which LOUD beat the Chinese teams EDward Gaming and FunPlus Phoenix during the Swiss Stage, qualifying them for the Playoffs and ultimately placing them in the top four, LOUD is looking to get back into practice for the impending start of VCT Americas Stage 1.
According to team captain Saadhak, his Brazilian teammates are currently waiting for their visas in Ireland, unable to travel to the US just yet. A translation by Reddit user u/muaaki explains Saadhak is exempt from these issues due to his nationality.
"I'm here because I'm Argentine and I don't have to renew my visa every three months," he shared on his stream, stating that his four Brazilian teammates will arrive too late to "even train for the next split."
Defining the timeline, Saadhak said: "We won’t train for the next split because we don’t have time. Because of the split, our game is on the 6th, and I think they will arrive here between the 1st and the 4th."
Much needed practice?
While LOUD has proven themselves to be a force to be reckoned with in the Americas region, the Brazilian team has still shown its vulnerabilities during Masters Madrid, losing to the Pacific teams Gen.G and Paper Rex.
More importantly, LOUD also suffered its second loss in a row to the VCT Kickoff Americas, Masters champion, and local rival Sentinels, showing that LOUD is likely to look for opportunities to revitalise its game.
Fortunately for the team, due to their qualification for Madrid, the team received a Pot 1 seeding, allowing them to avoid their nemesis until April 28, when the matchup is set for another round this year.
In their first match in Stage 1, LOUD is set to face off against American esports organisation NRG on the 6th. They will then take a two-week break from active play before fighting Cloud9 on the 21st, allowing the team to catch up on their travel schedule.
