Lille, France, July 6, 2018 - Russia and Brazil clash for the 66th time in history Saturday in Lille for the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Nations League semifinals, with the series well-balanced at 33-32 in favour of the reigning European champions. But Rio 2016 Olympic champions Brazil have not lost a semifinal in a world competition in eight years, since their defeat to USA in the 2008 FIVB World League. This is a rematch of Brazil's four-set win over the Russians in Ufa, during pool play.
Head-to-Head
• Russia (including the Soviet Union and CIS) and Brazil will meet for the 66th time in world level major competition. Russia won 33 times versus 32 victories for Brazil.
• World level major competitions are: the VNL, Olympic Games, World Championships, World Cup, World League and Grand Champions Cup.
• No other country has won more matches against Brazil in world level major competitions than Russia (33).
• Russia have lost their last six major world level matches against Brazil, since a 3-2 victory at the 2013 Grand Champions Cup.
• On 8 June, Brazil won 3-1 in the preliminary round this VNL. Konstantin Bakun (20, Russia) and Wallace De Souza (21, Brazil) both scored 20+ points that match.
• At the London 2012 Olympic Games, Russia claimed the Olympic title after a five-sets win against Brazil in the final.
Russia
• Russia (4) are one of four countries to have won at least four of the five world level major competitions in men's volleyball, next to Brazil (all five), Italy (four) and USA (four).
• Russia claimed their last silverware at one of the major world level tournaments when they finished second in the Grand Champions Cup in 2013.
• Their last semifinal in a world level major competition was at the 2016 Olympic Games where they were defeated in straight sets by Brazil.
• Russia could reach their first final in a major world level tournament since the 2013 World League, where they won against Brazil in straight sets.
• Maxim Mikhaylov scored 16 points in both VNL final round matches. His 32 combined are most for the Russian team in the final round.
Brazil
• Brazil (22) are the country to have won most major world level competitions, Russia follow on 19 titles.
• Brazil are the only country to have won all five previous major world level competitions.
• Brazil won only two world level major competitions in the last four years: the 2016 Olympic Games and the 2017 Grand Champions Cup.
• In only three of their last 33 world level major tournaments (2001-2018), Brazil failed to reach the podium: at the World League in 2008 (fourth), 2012 (sixth) and 2015 (fifth).
• Brazil have lost only one of their last 23 semifinals at the major world level tournaments, a 3-0 defeat against USA at the 2008 World League.
• Brazil could lose seven matches within a single world level major tournament for the first time since the 2014 World League (eight defeats).
• Ahead of the semifinals, only France's Earvin Ngapeth (40) has scored more points in the final round than Wallace De Souza (38).