Shaoxing, China, December 5, 2018 - Reigning world club champions VakifBank Istanbul from Turkey complete pool play in the 2018 FIVB Volleyball Women's Club World Championship on Friday against Minas Tenis Clube of Brazil.
Head-to-Head· VakifBank Istanbul and Minas Tenis Clube meet for the first time at the Club World Championship.
· VakifBank are unbeaten in their Club World Championship matches against Brazilian teams.
· VakifBank defeated Osasco in the 2011 semifinals and Sesc-RJ on four occasions: in the 2013 and 2017 group stage and in the 2013 and 2017 finals.
· Turkish teams are unbeaten against Brazilian teams at the Club World Championship (9 matches). NOTE: Eczacibasi Vitra Istanbul and Praia Clube also play on 7 December.
VakifBank · Defending champions VakifBank kicked off their 2018 Club World Championship campaign with 3-0 victories over Zhejiang Women's Volleyball Club and Volero Le Cannet.
· VakifBank have already qualified for the semifinals. They have now reached the final four in all their five Club World Championship participations.
· VakifBank can start a Club World Championship campaign with three straight-set victories for the second time, after their debut campaign in 2011.
· VakifBank have won their last eight Club World Championship matches, since a 3-1 defeat against Eczacibasi VitrA on 22 October 2016. They could win nine successive matches in the tournament for the first time.
· Ting Zhu is VakifBank's top scorer at the 2018 Club World Championship on 39 points.
Minas Tenis Clube· Minas Tenis Clube have already qualified for the semifinals.
· Tournament debutants Minas Tenis Clube started their 2018 Club World Championship campaign with a 3-2 win over Volero Le Cannet and a 3-1 triumph against Zhejiang Women's Volleyball Club.
· The last debutants from Brazil to win their first three Club World Championship matches were Leite Moca Sao Paulo in 1994. They went on to win title that year.
· Gabriela Braga Guimaraes scored a match-high 28 points against Zhejiang Women's Volleyball Club. She is Minas Tenis Clube's top scorer at the 2018 Club World Championship on 36 points.