Lausanne, Switzerland, June 9, 2018 - Germany host China Tuesday in Stuttgart in the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Nations League for the 38th time in history, with the reigning Olympic champions enjoying an exceptional 33-4 lead in the head-to-head. Last time Germany beat China was at the 2009 World Grand Prix, with China making a 7-0 run since then. China have their place in the finals of the VNL as hosts of the event, 27 June to 1 July in Nanjing; Germany, on a 5-7 record, are too far behind in the standings to reach a qualifying spot.
Head-to-Head
• China and Germany (including as West and East Germany) will face each other in a world level major tournament for the 38th time. China won 33 of their previous encounters versus only four wins for the German teams.
• The women's world level major competitions are: the VNL, Olympic Games, World Championships, World Cup, World Grand Prix and Grand Champions Cup.
• China have won each of their last seven world level major tournament matches against Germany, since a 3-1 defeat in the final round of the 2009 World Grand Prix.
• The other three victories for Germany against China came at the 1962 world championship (3-2, as East Germany), the 1994 world championship (3-1) and the 2006 world championship (3-1).
• Of the opponents which Germany have faced on multiple occasions at world level major tournaments, they only have a lower winning percentage against Russia (6%, including as Soviet Union and CIS) than versus China (11%).
• At the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games, China defeated Germany 3-0 on their way to the final, in which they lost 3-1 to Cuba.
Germany
• Germany have won four of their last five VNL matches, which improved their overall record to five wins and seven defeats.
• Only one of Germany's 12 VNL matches has gone to a deciding set, a victory against Thailand.
• In their last match against Argentina, Germany booked their first straight-set victory of the campaign.
• Louisa Lippmann is Germany's most prolific scorer in the VNL thus far, having scored 223 points. Only Poland's Malwina Smarzek (286) and Serbia's Tijana Boskovic (236) have scored more points at the VNL.
China
• China have lost three of their last four VNL matches. Their overall record at the Nations League is six wins and six defeats.
• As the hosts, China have been granted automatic qualification for the Final Six in Nanjing.
• Seven of China's 12 VNL matches were decided in straight sets, with China winning five of those seven fixtures. The last world level major tournament in which they had at least six straight-set wins was at the 2016 World Grand Prix (7).
• China have lost both of their five-setters in the VNL and could suffer at least three five-set defeats at a single world level major tournament for the first time since the 2014 World Grand Prix (also 3).
• Xiaotong Liu is China's top scorer at the 2018 VNL on 120 points.