Brasilia, Brazil, June 29, 2019 - France claimed victory against Italy before hosts Brazil defeated Canada in Pool 18 of the 2019 men's FIVB Volleyball Nations League in Brasilia on Saturday.
Pre-match stats:
France - Italy (June 29, 2019)
Head-to-head
- Italy have won 34 of their 54 major encounters at world level with France.
- World level major competitions are: FIVB Volleyball Nations League, Olympic Games, World Championship, World Cup, World League and Grand Champions Cup.
- This includes each of their last three meetings, following eight encounters of which Italy managed to win only two.
- Their last competitive meeting came in the VNL last season, with Italy emerging victorious in straight sets in front of a home crowd in Modena.
France
- France have won nine and lost four matches in the 2019 Volleyball Nations League.
- France are coming off a 3-1 defeat against Brazil. They have lost back-to-back matches on only one occasion in VNL history, 3-1 against both Argentina and United States on 15 and 16 June this year.
- With an 11-point effort against Brazil on Friday, Stephen Boyer (107) surpassed Jean Patry (105) as France's 2019 VNL top scorer thus far.
- Antoine Brizard is among the most reliable setters in the 2019 VNL, producing only three faults in 579 total attempts this season.
- Jenia Grebrennikov is among the best diggers in the competition, averaging 1.98 digs per set.
Italy
- Italy (W8-L5) have lost their last three Volleyball Nations League matches, their longest losing streak ever in the competition.
- Italy could lose four consecutive world level major tournament matches for the first time since five straight losses in the 2017 World League. This streak included a 3-1 defeat against France.
- Italy have already matched their wins total from the 2018 VNL (8). They ended last year's campaign on eight wins and seven defeats.
- Simone Giannelli's average of 0.33 is among the highest in the best servers category in the 2019 VNL.
- Simone Giannelli (8.00) is one of two setters with an 8+ average per set. Iran's Mir Saeid Marouflakrani (8.85 after 12 matches) is the other.
Brazil - Canada (June 29, 2019)
Head-to-Head
- Brazil have won 23 of their 28 major encounters with Canada at world level.
- Canada defeated Brazil 3-0 at the 2018 Volleyball Nations League, their only victory in their last 10 world level encounters (W1-L9). Brazil's Wallace De Souza led all players on 19 points.
- Canada have the upper hand in the five-set world level meetings between the teams: W3-L1.
- Brazil won their most recent world level match against Canada, 3-1 in the 2018 World Championship first round.
Brazil
- Brazil secured a place in the Final Round after a 3-1 win over France on Friday. They have won 12 matches in the 2019 Volleyball Nations League, while losing only against Serbia on 14 June (3-2).
- Brazil (12 wins) have already surpassed their wins total in the full VNL campaign of 2018, when they won 11 of their 19 matches, the final round included.
- Brazil have won six VNL matches in a row for the third time. They could now equal their longest winning streak in the competition, set in 2018 (7). That seven-match run was ended by a 3-0 defeat against Canada.
- Ricardo Lucarelli Souza's spike success rate of 53.50 is among the highest in the 2019 VNL.
- Thales Hoss is the most efficient receiver in the 2019 VNL, with an efficiency rate of 26.13%.
Canada
- Canada have won eight of their 13 Volleyball Nations League matches this season, including the last four.
- Canada started this VNL season with a defeat, before winning four in a row, then losing four in a row and now again winning four in succession.
- Canada have won eight matches in the 2019 VNL. They have had two world level major tournaments with more victories, the 2013 World League (9) and the 2016 World League (10).
- Graham Vigrass ranks as one of the most prolific blockers in the 2019 VNL, with 28 stuff blocks. His average of 0.54 per set ranked second after Friday's play, behind only Iran's Seyed Mohammad Mousavi Eraghi (0.55).
- While Iran's Mir Saeid Marouflakrani (8.85) and Italy's Simone Giannelli (8.00) lead the setters category by a big margin, Brett James Walsh is best of the rest with an average of 5.62 sets per set.