Sada Cruzeiro, Skra Belchatow look to salvage bronze

Krakow, Poland, December 17, 2017 – Brazil’s Sada Cruzeiro and Poland’s Skra Belchatow vie to claim the bronze podium spot in the 2017 FIVB Volleyball Men’s Club World Championship, following their straight-set semifinal losses to Zenit Kazan and Cucine Lube Civitanova, respectively.

• This is the second meeting between these teams at the club world championships.

• In 2012, Sada Cruzeiro Volei won 3-2 in the semifinals, before losing to Trentino in the final.

• Sada Cruzeiro have also played one other match against Polish opposition in the tournament. Earlier this year, they defeated Zaksa Kedzierzyn-Kozle 3-0 in the group stages.

• Skra Belchatow have also played one other match against Brazilian opposition.

• In the 2009 group stages, they won 3-1 against Cimed Esporte Clube, after losing the first set.

• This is Sada Cruzeiro Volei’s sixth participation and only the second in which they have failed to reach the final.

• In 2014 they finished fourth, after losing the Final 3-4 against UPCN.

• The 2014 edition also marked the only time Sada Cruzeiro Volei lost a semifinal at the club world championship, as they were beaten 3-1 by Al-Rayyan from Qatar.

• Sada Cruzeiro Volei won nine of their last 11 matches at the club world championship, only losing 3-0 to Lube Civitanova on 12 December 2017 and 3-0 against Zenit Kazan yesterday.

• Only in 2014 they have lost three matches in a single tournament.

• Skra Belchatow have now won two of their four semifinals, having lost the two most recent ones. Besides their defeat yesterday, they also lost against today's opponents Sada Cruzeiro Volei 3-2 in 2012.

• Skra Belchatow won their only previous final 3-4. In 2012, they defeated Zenit Kazan 3-2, meaning they have always claimed a medal in all their three participations (G0-S2-B1).

• They have lost successive club world championship matches for the first time in team history.