Match Running Performance in UEFA Champions League: Is There a Worthwhile Association with Team Achievement?
by
, , , , , ,
Toni Modric
1,*
,
Sime Versic
1,2,*
,
Paweł Chmura
3
,
Marek Konefał
4
,
Marcin Andrzejewski
5
,
Igor Jukic
6,
Patrik Drid
7
,
Suncica Pocek
7 and
Damir Sekulic
1
1
Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
2
HNK Hajduk Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
3
Department of Team Games, Wrocław University of Health and Sport Sciences, 51612 Wrocław, Poland
4
Department of Human Motor Skills, Wrocław University of Health and Sport Sciences, 51612 Wrocław, Poland
5
Department of Methodology of Recreation, Poznań University of Physical Education, 61871 Poznań, Poland
6
Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
7
Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, University of Novi Sad, 21 000 Novi Sad, Serbia
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Biology 2022, 11(6), 867; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology11060867
Submission received: 17 May 2022
/
Revised: 31 May 2022
/
Accepted: 1 June 2022
/
Published: 6 June 2022
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biological, Physiological, and Biomechanical Determinants of Human Performance Optimization)
Simple Summary
This study demonstrated that running performance (RP) is not the factor which defines team achievement in UEFA Champions League (UCL) group stage, indicating that the success of the teams who compete at the elite-level soccer is not influenced by pure physical performance. Although RP will not assure success, considering high physical demands observed in UCL, conditioning of the players who compete at the elite-level soccer should be at the highest possible level. These findings could help soccer coaches to optimize the training process of elite soccer players.
Abstract
Although running performance (RP) is considered an important factor of success in soccer, there is a lack of studies to examine this issue in highest-level soccer competition, such as UEFA Champions League (UCL). Therefore, the main objective of this study was to analyse players’ RP according to the achievement of their teams in UCL. In addition, position specific RP of the players who competed in the UCL was evaluated. The players’ RPs (n = 244) were collected during UCL group stage matches (n = 20) in the 2020/21 season using semiautomatic optical system InStat Fitness. A team’s achievement was defined by qualification of the team from the group stage into the knockout stage of the UCL, and by total group points earned at the end of the UCL group stage. Linear mixed models and Pearson’s correlation were used to examine differences in players’ RP according to the achievement of their teams. Results indicated (i) similar values of RP irrespective of whether the teams qualified from the group stage into the knockout stage of the UCL, and (ii) trivial-to-small correlations between RP and total group points. Such findings show that players’ RP was poorly related to the achievement of their teams in the UCL group stage, indicating trivial influence of RP on success in elite-level soccer.
Keywords:
football; physical demands; playing positions; success; elite players
