A Longitudinal Exploration of Match Running Performance during a Football Match in the Spanish La Liga: A Four-Season Study

Eduard Pons, José Carlos Ponce-Bordón, Jesús Díaz-García, Roberto López del Campo, Ricardo Resta, Xavier Peirau and Tomas García-Calvo
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Eduard Pons: Sports Performance Area, FC Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
José Carlos Ponce-Bordón: Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Extremadura, 10003 Cáceres, Spain
Jesús Díaz-García: Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Extremadura, 10003 Cáceres, Spain
Roberto López del Campo: LaLiga Sport Research Section, 28043 Madrid, Spain
Ricardo Resta: LaLiga Sport Research Section, 28043 Madrid, Spain
Xavier Peirau: National Institute of Physical Education of Catalunya, 25192 Lleida, Spain
Tomas García-Calvo: Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Extremadura, 10003 Cáceres, Spain

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 3, 1-10

Abstract: This study aimed to analyze and compare the match running performance during official matches across four seasons (2015/2016–2018/2019) in the top two professional leagues of Spanish football. Match running performance data were collected from all matches in the First Spanish Division (Santander; n = 1520) and Second Spanish Division (Smartbank; n = 1848), using the Mediacoach ® System. Total distance and distances of 14–21 km·h −1 , 21–24 km·h −1 , and more than 24 km·h −1 , and the number of sprints between 21 and 24 km·h −1 and more than 24 km·h −1 were analyzed. The results showed higher total distances in the First Spanish Division than in the Second Spanish Division ( p < 0.001) in all the variables analyzed. Regarding the evolution of both leagues, physical demands decreased more in the First Spanish Division than in the Second Spanish Division. The results showed a decrease in total distance and an increase in the high-intensity distances and number of sprints performed, although a clearer trend is perceived in the First Spanish Division ( p < 0.001; p < 0.01, respectively). Knowledge about the evolution of match running performance allows practitioners to manage the training load according to the competition demands to improve players’ performances and reduce the injury rate.

Keywords: longitudinal study; match running performance; professional soccer leagues; sports performance; external load (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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