Krakow, Poland, July 17, 2016 - Italy and France were not successful in Saturday's FIVB Volleyball World League 2016 Group 1 semifinals, but have one more shot at a medal as the meet each other in Sunday's clash for the bronze.
Head-to-Head
• Italy and France will go head-to-head for the 40th time at the World League. Italy won 24 of the previous matches, France 15.
• France won their last four World League meetings with Italy. They last lost to the Italians in 2012, 3-1 in the Intercontinental Rounds.
• Earlier this season, on 17 June, France beat Italy in straight sets. Kevin Tillie and Nicolas Marechal scored a match-high 13 points for France, while Ivan Zaytsev scored a team-high 12 points for Italy.
• Italy have only won more World League matches against China (30) and Cuba (26) than versus France (24). France's 24 losses to Italy are a team record in the competition against a specific opponent.
Italy
• Italy lost their semifinal 3-2 to Serbia on Saturday.
• Since their last gold medal in 2000 the Italians have claimed two silver and three bronze medals.
• Italy claimed the bronze medal at two of the last three World League seasons (2013 and 2014). In 2015 they finished fifth.
• They have won their last three matches for the bronze medal, beating Czech Republic in 2003 (3-1), Bulgaria in 2013 (3-2) and Iran in 2014 (3-0).
• They last lost the bronze medal match in 2002, when they were beaten 3-1 by Serbia (then competing as Serbia and Montenegro).
• Only Brazil (18, G9-S5-B4) have won more total medals at the World League than Italy (15, G8-S3-B4). Brazil are already sure of a 19th medal as they have reached the final.
• Ivan Zaytsev finished as their top scorer in their semifinal against Serbia, scoring 21 points.
France
• France failed to defend their World League title as they were beaten 3-1 in the semifinal by Brazil on Saturday.
• They have a chance to complete their World League medal set as they previously won the tournament in 2015 and claimed the silver medal in 2006 when they lost the final to Brazil.
• This will be the first time France play in the bronze medal match.
• France can equal Netherlands (G1-S1-B1) on three World League medals.
• Antonin Rouzier scored a team-high 27 points in France's semifinal against Brazil.