A machine for making liquid and/or semi-liquid food products of the ice cream sector comprising a unit for receiving and treating capsules containing a basic preparation for an ice cream product, provided with: - a retaining unit provided with a retaining housing configured to receive a capsule (C) containing a basic preparation for an ice cream product, - an expulsion device comprising a nozzle connectable to a compressed air source, the nozzle being configured to emit a jet of air in the direction of the retaining unit and adapted to strike the capsule (C) when the latter is inside the retaining housing in such a way as to expel the capsule (C) from the retaining housing along an expulsion direction (X), the machine further comprising: - a processing container forming a processing chamber for making an ice cream product; - a dispensing unit configured to open and compress the capsule (C) so that the basic preparation is squeezed out of the capsule (C) and transferred to the processing container ; - a stirrer mounted inside the processing chamber; - a cooling system provided with at least one heat exchanger associated with the processing container , to exchange heat with the processing container to cool the processing container ; the machine further comprising a device for injecting a dilution liquid, associated with the processing container , for injecting the dilution liquid into the processing container , said dispensing unit being equipped with at least one abutment element which comes into contact with a top wall of the capsule (C), the abutment element being movable between a spaced-apart position where it is spaced from the capsule (C) and a contact and compression position where it compresses the top wall of the capsule (C). - a retaining unit provided with a retaining housing configured to receive a capsule (C) containing a basic preparation for an ice cream product, - an expulsion device comprising a nozzle connectable to a compressed air source, the nozzle being configured to emit a jet of air in the direction of the retaining unit and adapted to strike the capsule (C) when the latter is inside the retaining housing in such a way as to expel the capsule (C) from the retaining housing along an expulsion direction (X), the machine further comprising: - a processing container forming a processing chamber for making an ice cream product; - a dispensing unit configured to open and compress the capsule (C) so that the basic preparation is squeezed out of the capsule (C) and transferred to the processing container ; - a stirrer mounted inside the processing chamber; - a cooling system provided with at least one heat exchanger associated with the processing container , to exchange heat with the processing container to cool the processing container ; the machine further comprising a device for injecting a dilution liquid, associated with the processing container , for injecting the dilution liquid into the processing container , said dispensing unit being equipped with at least one abutment element which comes into contact with a top wall of the capsule (C), the abutment element being movable between a spaced-apart position where it is spaced from the capsule (C) and a contact and compression position where it compresses the top wall of the capsule (C). <EOS>