In the ongoing Olympic hockey tournament, the format allows all 12 participating teams to advance from the group stage to the knockout rounds, keeping Italy, coached by Jukka Jalonen, in the competition. Italy will face Switzerland in the quarter-finals on Tuesday, after struggling in their previous match against Finland, which resulted in an overwhelming 11-0 defeat. Jalonen, addressing the media after Monday's practice, acknowledged that the team was exhausted but is determined to regroup and prepare for the challenge ahead against Switzerland.

The upcoming match against Switzerland holds intriguing implications not only for Italy but also for Finland, as it could determine Finland's next opponent in the semi-finals. Jalonen expressed concern about the tournament's format, highlighting the oddity of potentially facing Finland after winning against Switzerland, and raised questions about the logic behind the current ranking system used to seed teams after the group stage. He noted the peculiar situation where teams might end up facing opponents they had not prepared for based solely on the results of previous matches.

The commentary reflects a broader frustration with the Olympic hockey structure and raises significant points about competitive fairness and the unpredictability of the tournament. Jalonen's insights resonate with fans and analysts as they question the effectiveness of such tournament formats, especially at the Olympic level, where many of the world's top teams compete under unique circumstances. The unfolding events in this tournament continue to spark discussions about how to improve the competitive landscape in future Olympic hockey competitions.