Lausanne, Switzerland, June 28, 2018 - Russia and Poland open proceedings at the Final Six of the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Nations League on 4 July in Lille, in a rematch of their pool play encounter in Krakow, where the reigning world champions beat the reigning European champions in straight sets. Thet two sides meet for the 51st time at world level with Russia (including the Soviet Union and CIS) leading the series 32-18.
Head-to-Head
• Russia (including as Soviet Union and CIS) and Poland will meet for the 51st time in world level major competitions. Of the previous 50 matches, the Russians won 32 and the Poles were victorious in 18.
• World level major competitions are: the VNL, Olympic Games, World Championships, World Cup, World League and Grand Champions Cup.
• Poland beat Russia in straight sets in Krakow in the VNL on 26 May 2018 to end a four-match losing streak against the Russians in world level major tournaments. Michal Kubiak scored a match-high 20 points for the hosts.
• Russia and Poland met in the men's volleyball tournament at each of the last three Olympic Games. Poland won 3-2 in 2008 (group phase), but Russia emerged victorious in 2012 (3-0, quarterfinal) and 2016 (3-2, group phase).
• Poland's only gold medal in men's volleyball at the Olympic Games came in 1976, when they beat the Soviet Union in five sets in the final.
Russia
• Russia qualified for the VNL final round by finishing in second place in the preliminary round. They were in first place coming into their final match, but lost 3-0 against France who overtook them at the top of the table.
• Russia have failed to reach the podium at each of their last seven world level major tournaments, since a second place in the 2013 Grand Champions Cup.
• Russia last won a world level major tournament when they were victorious in the 2013 World League.
• Russia (14) have lost the fewest sets in the 2018 VNL.
• Of Russia's 11 wins in the VNL, nine were in straight sets, a tournament high. This equals the team record for most 3-0 victories in a single world level major tournament, first set in the 2011 World League.
• Russia could lose consecutive world level major tournaments matches in straight sets for the first time since the 2015 World Cup (v Italy and USA).
• Dmitriy Muserskiy (185) is the fifth-highest scorer in the VNL. His teammate Egor Kliuka is on 177 points.
• Muserskiy is the best spiker in the VNL as he has a success percentage of 68.08%. The next best is China's Jiang Chuan (54.79%).
Poland
• Poland were the last team to qualify for the VNL final round as they defeated Australia 3-0 in their final match and finished in sixth place.
• The last time Poland finished on the podium of a world level major tournament was at the 2015 World Cup (third). Their last world level major title was the 2014 World Championships.
• Poland have lost four of their last six VNL matches, after they won eight of their first nine fixtures in the competition.
• Of Poland's 15 VNL matches, 10 were decided in straight sets (W7-L3).
• The team that won the opening set has gone on to win all 15 VNL matches involving Poland.
• Artur Szalpuk (106) is the only Poland player to have scored more than 100 VNL points. Russia have three players with more than 100 points in the tournament.