Head-to-head• This will be the third meeting between Italy and Puerto Rico at the World Championship. Four years ago both teams were drawn together in the second round pool phase with Italy winning 3-1.
• Their other World Championship meeting came in 1974: Italy won 3-0.
• Puerto Rico have lost all their 12 World Championship matches against European teams, including 3-0 defeats v France and Belgium in Poland.
• Italy are unbeaten in their last 10 matches with NORCECA sides at the World Championship and lost only two in their last 20 encounters.
Puerto Rico• Puerto Rico can lose their first four matches in straight sets at the World Championship for the first time since their debut at the World Championship in 1974 (eight matches).
• They can suffer a seventh consecutive defeat at the World Championship, their longest losing streak since 10 in 1974.
Italy• Italy can win three matches in a row after their opening match defeat against Iran.
• They had a streak of nine wins from 2006 until their semifinal loss against Brazil in 2010.
• They have won 3-2 and 3-1, which would suggest according they will beat Puerto Rico 3-0.
• After six days of competitions and having played three matches, Ivan Zaytsev led all players in Poland in scoring: 62 points.
• Zaytsev had a total of 59 points in four matches in this year's World League Finals.