Head-to-head· Italy and Iran will meet for the second time at the World Cup. In 2011, Italy beat Iran 3-1.
· Last year, these teams met six times - five World League meetings, including final for third place, and one world championship meeting.
· At the 2014 World League, both teams won their intercontinental round matches on home soil before Italy beating Iran in straight sets in the bronze medal match.
· Their last international meeting came at the 2014 World Championship, when Iran beat Italy 3-1 in the first round.
Italy· Italy have won four of their five matches in the 2015 World Cup so far. The Azzurri only lost against the still unbeaten United States.
· Italy have won 47 of their 63 World Cup matches (74.60%). Only Russia (including Soviet Union) have a higher win percentage (82.95%).
· Italy can win back-to-back matches in straight sets for the first time since they won five in a row without losing any set in 2003.
Iran· Iran lost their last match in straight sets. They have now lost 11 matches in straight sets in the World Cup. They only won twice without losing a set.
· Iran have lost their last four matches against European opponents, including a match against Italy in 2011. Their last win against a CEV team came back on 24 November 2011, 3-2 against Poland.
· Iran is currently in seventh place. In their previous two appearances they finished 11th (1991) and 9th (2011).