Cucine Lube Civitanova face defending champions in first hurdle

Opole, Poland, December 12, 2017 – Cucine Lube Civitanova of Italy will
play against defending champions Sada Cruzeiro Volei of Brazil in their
debut in the FIVB Volleyball Men’s Club World Championship in Pool A.

• Sada Cruzeiro Vôlei and Lube Civitanova will meet for the first time at the men's club world championships as the Italians are making their debut in the competition.

• Sada Cruzeiro Vôlei lost both of their previous two club world championships meetings with Italian teams. Diatec Trentino won 3-2 in 2012 group stage and 3-0 in the 2012 final.

• The defeat in the 2012 final marks Sada Cruzeiro Vôlei's only straight-sets defeat in the competition (24 matches).

• Sada Cruzeiro Vôlei will participate in the club world championships for the sixth time, all since 2012.

• Only Diatec Trentino (7) have participated in more editions of the men's club world championships. Zenit Kazan will also make their sixth appearance this year.

• Cruzeiro have won the competition on three occasions (2013, 2015, 2016), only trailing the four wins by Diatec Trentino. They also finished in second place in 2012.

• Cruzeiro can become the second team to win the men's club world championships three times in a row, after Diatec Trentino who won their four titles in consecutive editions (2009-2012).

• The Brazilians have won their last seven matches in the competition, only losing three sets in this run.

• Lube Civitanova are making their debut at the men's club world championships.

• They will be the seventh Italian side to appear in the competition, equal-most for a country alongside Brazil.

• Italian sides have won the men's club world championships a record eight times, all in the first eight editions.

• Only in 2014 and in 2015 there was no Italian team on the podium of the club world championships.

• Lube won the Italian championship in 2017 after beating Diatec Trentino in the final. They also defeated Trentino in the Italian Cup final this year.