Attilio Biasca is still on the ice in the play-off final, but now the focus is shifting to the home World Championships with the national team. The 23-year-old is one of the winners of the season.
07.05.2026, 05:00
07.05.2026, 07:04
SDA
Last Thursday, the players from Fribourg-Gottéron and Davos fought a fierce battle for the championship title in the Finalissima, and now they greet each other warmly at the Hotel Allegra in Kloten. Shortly afterwards, they make their way to the airport. From Thursday, the Swiss will play their last three preparation games in Ängelholm as part of the Euro Hockey Tour before their first serious match against Olympic and world champions USA in Zurich on May 15.
The first opponent is Finland on Thursday, before the team faces hosts Sweden and the Czech Republic on Saturday and Sunday respectively. Head coach Jan Cadieux has called up nine players from the two finalists for the last week of preparation, including Fribourg forward Attilio Biasca, who, together with Nicolas Baechler, is the youngest member of the squad born in 2003.
"Important to dream"
It would be Biasca's first participation in the World Cup, and experiencing it at home would of course be all the better for him. "It's a privilege to be here," he told the Keystone-SDA news agency. He describes the fact that expectations are high after two World Championship silver medals and that people are openly talking about the title as "good pressure". At the same time, he emphasizes: "It's certainly important to dream, that's what it takes. But what's more important is what you do between now and then."
Biasca's attitude set him apart from many others early on. He also worked with focus off the ice and asked a lot of questions. "I'm a very curious person, especially with people who know what they're talking about," he says. "I just love the sport and want to get every last detail out of myself. When I look back after my career, I don't want to say: 'I could have worked harder there, done this differently'."
Working on the mental side
This is why Biasca has been working with a sports psychologist since last summer. In the process, he has learned to enjoy the moment more. "The more you appreciate playing at this level, the easier everything becomes. It should always be like it was as a child. But it's not easy to achieve, it's a process. When you're new to the league, you want to prove yourself, listen to a lot of outside advice and worry too much. However, I put the most pressure on myself. If you can manage that better, everything gets easier. We don't play field hockey for the money - you just want to have fun."
Biasca has also benefited from leaving his comfort zone by leaving his youth club Zug and moving to Fribourg. This move was not easy, he says, as he owes a lot to EVZ. "I could have stayed, then I would have just remained the boy." The move made him more mature as a person and better as a player.
A lot of trust and good conversations
Biasca scored 15 goals in the National League qualifiers - only four Swiss players were more successful. He also had twelve assists. In the playoffs, he contributed three goals and a total of four scoring points. He particularly benefited from the confidence of successful coach Roger Rönnberg. He usually played in a line with Christoph Bertschy and Henrik Borgström.
He says of Rönnberg: "He is very demanding and has brought a new culture into the team. He's a really nice person off the ice. I've never been able to talk so well with a coach in private before. That makes a lot of things easier. He also has a very gentle side. I also think it's super cool how he thinks. On the first day, he said that we would be champions - he has a confident, positive ambition. That gave us the belief."
This belief did indeed lead to Fribourg's first championship title, which was celebrated accordingly. "It was definitely the three best days of my life. I had goosebumps the whole time. Seeing people's joy and sharing it with them was incredible. You could see how the region lives for it," he says.
From fan to teammate
After the intense final series - "it's unbelievable how small the difference was" - the question of energy levels arises. "I'm still young and had a bit of a break. It was an intense phase physically and mentally. You learn all the more how to help your body. In any case, I'm back to 100 percent."
Biasca was also looking forward to meeting the Swiss NHL stars he had never played with before. When he took part in the traditional Pee-Wee tournament in Québec in 2016, he watched a game between the Montreal Canadiens and the Nashville Predators and took a photo with Roman Josi. Now he's on the same team as him. "It's crazy where I am now," says Biasca.
The icing on the cake would be the World Championship title - and then, unlike in the play-off final, not only the Fribourg players would have reason to smile, but also the Davos players.
