Argentina coach Julio Velasco speaks to his players
Head-to-Head• Both teams can no longer progress to the next round.
• Italy have won two of their three World Championship matches against Argentina, in 1990 and in 2002 (5/6th place). They lost a group stage match against them, also in 2002.
• Italy have won 20 of their 26 matches in all major competitions, including the last three at the 2011 world cup, the 2012 Olympic Games and the 2013 World League.
• Argentina's last win came at the 2011 World League: 3-1.
Argentina• Argentina can lose four matches in a row for the first time since 1998.
• They can suffer back-to-back defeats in straight sets for the first time since three losses by a 3-0 scoreline in 1978.
• Argentina have a 44-43 win-loss record at the World Championships and are balanced in set wins-defeats: 165-165.
• Argentina coach Julio Velasco was coach of Italy from1989 until 1996, winning two World Championship gold medals, in 1990 and 1994, five World League titles, one World Cup, three European Championships and a silver medal at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games.
Italy• Triple gold medal winners Italy will finish outside the top six for the first time since 1986, when they were ranked 11th.
• They can lose five matches in a row for the first time since five in 1986.
• Italy have lost five matches so far in Poland. The last time they lost more matches at a single World Championship was in 1970: eight defeats.
• Italy (and China) can record their 60th defeat at the World Championships, equal to Japan and Venezuela. Only France have suffered more defeats, 66.