Reigning world champions and the number two team in the men’s FIVB Volleyball World Ranking Italy qualified for the Finals in Ningbo as Preliminary Phase runners-up on a 10-2 win-loss record and 28 points. In this week’s quarterfinals, they achieved a 3-1 (25-18, 25-19, 20-25, 25-21) victory over Cuba to progress to the semifinals. Michieletto has been their leading scorer so far in the competition with a total of 134 points.
Slovenia grabbed the very last available ticket to the Finals in Ningbo after a dramatic tie-breaker win over Serbia in the last match of the Preliminary Phase, which placed them sixth on 7-5 and 19. On Thursday, Slovenia delivered the biggest sensation of the quarterfinal round by dethroning last year’s champions France with a 3-1 (25-22, 15-25, 25-19, 25-18) upset of the reigning Olympic champions. That result also lifted them one spot up the World Ranking and they are now in number six. Rok Mozic has been Slovenia’s most prolific scorer in the VNL so far this season, with a total of 163 points to his name.