Lausanne, Switzerland, May 26, 2018 - Rio 2016 Olympic gold medallists Brazil need to rebound Sunday against Germany in Kraljevo for the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Nations League, after Italy put an end to their four-match winning streak Saturday. The South Americans lead Germany 20-5 in their head-to-head series.
Head-to-Head
• In 25 world level major encounters, Brazil beat Germany (including East Germany and West Germany) 20 times, while Germany won five encounters.
• World level major competitions are: the VNL, Olympic Games, World Championships, World Cup, World League and Grand Champions Cup.
• Brazil have won each of the last 16 world level major encounters with Brazil, since a 3-2 defeat on 22 May 1993 at the World League.
• The last time Germany won a set against Brazil in a world level major came at the 2003 World League, when Brazil won in five sets on 14 June 2003. Brazil have won six straight setters since that match.
• Germany once won in straight sets against Brazil in a world level major. In the 1968 World Cup, Germany (as East Germany) won 3-0 en route to their first world level major title.
Brazil
• Brazil lost 3-2 to Italy on Saturday.
• This ended a Brazilian winning streak of four matches at world level major tournaments. Their last defeat prior to their loss on Saturday was also against Italy, 3-2 at the 2017 Grand Champions Cup.
• Brazil's last defeat other than against Italy was against France in the 2017 World League final (3-2).
• Brazil last lost successive matches at world level major tournaments in 2016: 3-1 against United States and Italy at the Olympic Games in the Preliminary Round. Nevertheless, they were eventually crowned Olympic champions.
• In Brazil's last 78 matches at world level major tournaments, they have won at least one set on 77 occasions, losing 3-0 against Serbia in the 2016 World League final.
• Mauricio Borges Almeida Silva (14 points), Evandro M. Guerra (13) and Lucas Saatkamp (11) managed to score 10+ points in Brazil's defeat to Italy on Saturday.
Germany
• After suffering a 3-1 loss to Italy on Friday, Germany again were beaten 3-1 by Serbia on Saturday.
• The 2016 World League was the last world level major tournament at which Germany lost their opening three matches: versus Montenegro, Spain and Mexico.
• None of Germany's last 17 matches at world level major tournaments was a five-setter, since their 3-2 loss to Montenegro on 17 June 2016 at the 2016 World League.
• Daniel Malescha, who only played three sets, was Germany's top scorer on 11 points in their loss to Serbia on Saturday.