Alejandro ‘alex’ Masanet has framed Gentle Mates’ PGL Astana 2026 win as more than a result. After a 2-1 series win against an elite-level Bo3 opponent, the Spanish in-game leader said the roster needed exactly that kind of comeback to break psychological barriers that had been building for months. It was, he noted, the team’s first 2-1 series since February.
The struggle was mental as much as tactical
alex’s read on the issue was specific: the team had been struggling not just with consistency on the server but with confidence. A run of close 1-2 series defeats earlier in the season had left visible scars in how the roster handled tense closeout moments. The win in Astana, alex said, rebuilt trust inside the lineup more than it did the win column.
The Major miss still echoes
Earlier in 2026, Gentle Mates failed to qualify for the Major — a setback alex described as forcing the team to rethink its entire goal structure for the rest of the season. Subsequent close defeats at IEM Rio (losses to G2 and RED Canids), Stake Ranked Episode 1 setbacks, and a run of 1-2 online tournament losses confirmed alex’s framing that the team had stopped being able to convert competitive series into wins.
The roster has stayed committed
Despite the slump, Gentle Mates have continued grinding qualifiers and secondary tournaments. They’ve collected wins over ASTRAL and 9INE in recent events. Astana sits in the same context but at a higher level — the roster believing the long-term project still has potential, even after months of difficulty. One win won’t erase the bigger trajectory; alex was open about that. But breaking the streak of failed close series is exactly the kind of mental reset he believes the lineup needed.
