Cuiaba, Brazil, June 23, 2019 - Wallace De Souza (12 points) and Ricardo Lucarelli (11) were the top scorers as Brazil defeated Russia in their last match in Cuiaba in week 4 of the 2019 men's FIVB Volleyball Nations League.
Germany-Bulgaria
Brazil-Russia
Pre-match stats:
Germany - Bulgaria (June 23, 2019)
Head-to-Head
- Germany (including East Germany and West Germany) have won 11 of their 21 world level major tournament matches against Bulgaria (10 wins).
- World level major competitions are: FIVB Volleyball Nations League, Olympic Games, World Championship, World Cup, World League and Grand Champions Cup.
- Germany beat Bulgaria during their last two world level meetings and could win three in a row against the team for the first time.
- At last year's VNL, Germany defeated Bulgaria 3-2 (21-25, 25-22, 23-25, 25-23, 15-13).
Germany
- Germany were 1-0 and 2-1 up in sets, but eventually lost a five-set thriller against Brazil on Saturday. They have now won two and lost nine matches in the 2019 Volleyball Nations League.
- Germany's nine defeats in 2019 are one more than they had in the 2018 VNL (W7-L8).
- Only Serbia (7) have played more fifth sets in this year's competition, than Germany (5) and Brazil (5).
- Jan Zimmermann (4.24) is among a select group of setters averaging more than 4 per set in the 2019 VNL.
- Julian Zenger is the second-best receiver in the competition with an efficiency of 28.75%, trailing only Argentina's Santiago Danani (34.80%).
- Simon Hirsch leads Germany in scoring in this year's competition on 130 points. Last year he was their VNL top scorer on 183 points.
Bulgaria
- Bulgaria have won three and lost eight matches in the 2019 Volleyball Nations League.
- Bulgaria could lose five matches in a row in the VNL for the first time.
- Four of Bulgaria's last five wins in the VNL came in five sets. They played a five-setter against Germany in last year's VNL, when they lost 3-2.
- Rozalin Penchev is Bulgaria's top scorer this VNL season, on 97 total points. Last year, Nikolay Uchikov amassed a team-high total of 169 points in the preliminary round.
- Svetoslav Gotsev is among the best blockers in the 2019 VNL, averaging 0.50 stuff blocks per set.
Brazil - Russia (June 23, 2019)
Head-to-Head
- This will be the 68th meeting between Brazil and Russia (including Soviet Union and CIS) at world level major competitions. Russia just have the edge with 34 victories to 33.
- World level major competitions are: FIVB Volleyball Nations League, Olympic Games, World Championship, World Cup, World League and Grand Champions Cup.
- Brazil have won seven of their last eight world level matches against Russia, with the only exception in this run Russia's 3-0 victory in last year's VNL semi-final.
- These teams have met in nine finals of world level major competitions, with the most recent of those Russia's straight-sets victory in the 2013 World League.
Brazil
- Brazil have won 10 of their 11 Volleyball Nations League matches in 2019, with the only exception in this run their 3-2 defeat to Serbia on 14 June.
- Brazil have already equalled their number of wins recorded in the preliminary round of the 2018 VNL (10).
- Only Serbia (7) have played more fifth sets in this year's competition, than Brazil (5) and Germany (5).
- With his 16 points against Germany on Saturday, Yoandy Leal Hidalgo improved to a team-high 139 total points in the 2019 VNL.
- Ricardo Lucarelli Souza's spike success rate of 56.00 is the second highest in the 2019 VNL, behind only Iran's Amir Ghafour (57.30).
Russia
- Russia have won nine and lost two in the 2019 Volleyball Nations League. The defeats came against France in their tournament opener (3-1) and against Iran last weekend (3-0).
- Russia could come within one of their wins total recorded in the 2018 VNL (11).
- In 2018 and 2019 combined, Russia have won 16 of their 30 matches in straight sets.
- Egor Kliuka has landed 20 aces in the competition this year, at least five more than any other player. Kliuka's ace average of 0.50 per set is a leading mark as well in the 2019 VNL.
- Victor Poletaev scored 20 points against Bulgaria on Saturday, at least 12 more than any other Russian player. Poletaev (150) is Russia's top scorer in this year's tournament.
- Viktor Poletaev's spike success rate of 54.05 ranks third in the 2019 VNL, behind only Iran's Amir Ghafour (57.30) and Brazil's Ricardo Lucarelli Souza (56.00).