It will all depend on Damian Clara. © APA/afp / JULIEN DE ROSA

The most important game shouldn't be the last.

Italy's men's national ice hockey team faces its most important match so far at the Milan Olympics on Tuesday at noon. The host nation will play Switzerland in the round of 16 at 12:10 pm and are considered heavy underdogs. The winner will advance to the quarterfinals and face Slovakia on Wednesday at 6:10 pm.

February 16, 2026

From Milan

7.301 days have passed since the last Olympic duel between Italy and Switzerland. On February 21, 2006, the two rivals faced each other in the final preliminary round game of Group A in Turin. That game ended in a 3-3 draw, with the three Italians, Joe Busillo, Carter Trevisani, and Anthony Iob, scoring the goals for the Blue Team. On Tuesday, there must be a winner at the Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena: If the score is tied after 60 minutes, there will be a ten-minute overtime period, followed potentially by a penalty shootout with five shooters per team.

Italy's national coach Jukka Jalonen's squad includes six players based in Switzerland: Diego Kostner (injured), Tommaso De Luca (both HC Ambri-Piotta), Davide Fadani (Kloten), Stefano Segafredo (GC Küsnacht), Giovanni Morini, and Marco Zanetti (both Lugano). Italy's video coach, Diego Scandella, has also worked in Switzerland for over 20 years.

Switzerland aims to reach the quarterfinals. © APA/afp / ALEXANDER NEMENOV

The Italian-Canadian is currently an assistant coach with Bellinzona in the Swiss League and is looking forward to today's game: "Of course, I know some of the players. Michael Fora, for example, whom I remember fondly from our time together at Ambri. I was with Nino Niederreiter at the World Championship in Germany in 2010 when I was the video coach for Switzerland."

Switzerland is the overwhelming favorite.

Scandella has great respect for today's opponent. "Let's not beat around the bush: Switzerland is the favorite. But anything can happen in a single game. We have to start well, avoid mistakes, pay the price, and believe in victory," demands the 61-year-old, adding: "I hope our players can build on their performance from the games against Sweden and Slovakia. For that, we primarily need a strong goalkeeper." During the final training session, everything pointed to Damian Clara being in goal today.

Italy wants to surprise. © APA/afp / ALEXANDER NEMENOV

Switzerland finished second in Group A behind top favorite Canada. Coach Patrick Fischer's team, who will step down after the World Championship in his home country in May, defeated France 4-0 and the Czech Republic 4-3 in overtime, but lost to Canada 1-5.

"Switzerland has a strong team, and after Kevin Fiala's injury, the nine remaining NHL players stand out. However, looking at Switzerland's internal scoring statistics, it's striking that three defensemen – Janis Moser (4 points), Roman Josi, and Dean Kukan (3 each) – are among the top four. These three are constantly involved in the attack and are extremely dangerous," Scandella notes.

"The pressure is on the opponent. They must win, we can win." Diego Scandella

And yet, Jalonen's assistant doesn't want to throw in the towel just yet: "The pressure is on the opponent. They have to win, we can win." That would then probably be the second "Miracle on Ice" after February 22, 1980, when the USA defeated the overwhelming favorite Russia 4-3 in Lake Placid on their way to Olympic gold.