Lausanne, Switzerland, June 9, 2017 - Reigning Olympic champions Brazil and reigning world champions Poland clash in Varna Saturday for the second time in this season's FIVB World Grad Prix in what is a rematch of the 2104 FIVB World Championship which Poland won at home in Katwoice 3-1.
Head-to-Head• Brazil started their 2017 World League campaign with a 3-2 defeat against Poland in Pesaro, Italy.
• This means that Poland have now won five of their last seven major encounters with Brazil and three of their last five in the World League.
• Brazil last triumphed over Poland in the World League last season. The South Americans beat Poland in straight sets in Nancy, France.
• Brazil have only won more World League matches against United States (29) than against Poland (24).
• Poland have only record more wins against Argentina (19) in the World League than against Brazil (11).
Brazil• Brazil (99) are one short of 100 World League defeats. Their first loss in the competition was 3-1 against Italy on 29 April 1990.
• Brazil have won three consecutive World League matches by a 3-1 scoreline after opening their 2017 campaign with a five-set defeat versus Poland.
• Since the beginning of 2016, Serbia are the only other team to beat Brazil in a World League match, recording victories in last year's group stage and final.
• Brazil have lost the opening set in four of their last five World League matches.
Poland• Poland have lost consecutive World League matches (versus Iran and Bulgaria), after beginning their 2017 campaign with wins against Brazil and Italy.
• Poland had a four-match losing streak in last year's World League, which included a straight-set loss versus Brazil.
• Poland's last match was the 3-2 defeat versus Bulgaria. They had won each of their previous three World League fixtures that had gone to a deciding set.
• In Poland's last 17 World League matches, they have won the opening set only four times. They won two and lost two of those four fixtures in that run they took the first set.