Lausanne, Switzerland, May 17, 2018 - It was pool hosts Brazil who set a goal of finishing the opening week of the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Nations League on full points, but now (after the South Americans lost their opening match to Germany) it is Serbia who are eying this distinction, Thursday in Barueri. Brazil have won 12 of their previous 14 encounters with Serbia - but then again, they also hadn't lost to Germany in 16 years...
Head-to-head
• Brazil have won 12 of the previous 14 major world level encounters with Serbia (including Yugoslavia and Serbia & Montenegro).
• World level major competitions are: Olympic Games, World Championships, World Cup, World Grand Prix and Grand Champions Cup.
• Serbia's wins over Brazil came in the last two editions of the World Grand Prix, both in the preliminary round: 3-2 in 2016 and 3-0 in 2017.
• Brazil beat Serbia 3-1 in the semifinals at last year's World Grand Prix, their most recent major world level encounter.
• These teams met once in Brazil at a major world level tournament. Brazil won 3-0 in front of a home crowd at the 2016 World Grand Prix (preliminary round).
Brazil
• After their loss against Germany, Brazil recovered and beat Japan 3-1.
• Brazil could lose two of their first three matches of a world level major tournament at the second event in a row, after two defeats in their first three matches at the 2017 Grand Champions Cup.
• Since a single victory at the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games, Brazil have won at least two matches at every world level major tournament they competed in.
• The last time Brazil won a match in straight sets was their 3-0 win against United States at the 2017 Grand Champions Cup.
Serbia
• Serbia won their first two VNL matches in straight sets and they could now claim three straight-set victories in a row at a world level major tournament for the first time since three at the 2017 World Grand Prix.
• That 2017 World Grand Prix run was ended by a 3-0 defeat versus Brazil.
• Serbia can also start a world level major tournament with three successive victories for the first time since the 2017 World Grand Prix. That run included a 3-0 victory over Brazil.