This is how Italy celebrated after promotion. © Vanna Antonello

Stefan Mair: “It’s great that we got promoted, but…”

Italy achieved its ultimate goal of promotion at the Division 1A World Championship in Sfantu Gheorghe, Romania. The Azzurri celebrated exuberantly afterward, but at the same time, they faced reality and recognized that much work still lies ahead for next year.

03 Maj 2025

From: leo

After Japan beat Ukraine 3-2, the Blue Team had only one task to complete: defeat the already relegated Romanians in regular time. Alex Trivellato & Co. succeeded in doing so, celebrating a safe 7-1 victory against the clear underdog.

"We watched the Japan match and were naturally very pleased with the result. We seized the opportunity it presented. The good start to the match worked in our favor," said head coach Jukka Jalonen. His team delivered an excellent performance when it mattered most.

Big highlights await

The Finn also reflected on the tournament, saying it was marked by many ups and downs. "Some games were good, others less so. We also had some bad luck, like with the injury to Mikael Frycklund, who was missing from the last three matches."

“In any case, there will be a big fight for squad places.” Jukka Jalonen

Regarding the upcoming year, which features two highlights: the Winter Games and the Senior World Championship, Jalonen said: "I know the guys a little better now. Next year we'll be competing in two major tournaments, but we're taking it one step at a time. There will definitely be a big fight for squad spots," said the 62-year-old.

Interview with Stefan Mair:


Assistant coach Stefan Mair was pleased to have achieved the goal, but kept his feet on the ground. "At the end of the day, it's nice that we've been promoted, but the coaching staff knows we still have a lot of work ahead of us. We have to be a bit patient and give Jukka time to get to know the players better, to understand how they react under pressure. He'll draw the right conclusions from this," Mair said.

The coaching staff now has a year to work with this squad – and a few other players. Mair and Co. know that the hurdles will be much higher next year. But that's precisely what motivates the Azzurri: to compete at the highest level with the best nations in the world.