ORIGINAL ARTICLE  EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY AND BIOMECHANICS 

The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 2021 June;61(6):763-70

DOI: 10.23736/S0022-4707.20.11400-2

Copyright © 2020 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Rethinking training in elite soccer players: comparative evidence of small-sided games and official match play in kinematic parameters

Cristian SAVOIA ¹, Ferdinando IELLAMO ^{2, 3}, Giuseppe CAMINITI ³, Dominic A. DORAN ¹, Samuel PULLINGER ^{1, 4}, Mario R. INNAURATO ⁵, Giuseppe ANNINO ⁶, Vincenzo MANZI ⁷ ✉

¹ Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, The Tom Reilly Building, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK; ² Department of Clinical Sciences and Translational Medicine, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy; ³ IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana, Rome, Italy; ⁴ Department Sports Sciences, Aspire Academy, Doha, Qatar; ⁵ Institute of Physical Education, Haute Ecole de la Province de Liège (HEPL), Liège, Belgium; ⁶ Department of Medicine Systems, Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy; ⁷ Dipartimento di Scienze Umanistiche, Università Telematica Pegaso, Naples, Italy

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to compare kinematics parameters among official matches and SSGs of an Italian premier league soccer team.
METHODS: Eighteen elite professional male soccer players (4 central defenders, 4 wide defenders, 3 central midfielders, 3 box-to-box midfielders, 2 wingers and 2 strikers) took part in the study. Players were monitored during four months of full training (including preseason and in-season) and over 26 matches (14 Serie A matches, 9 Europa League matches, and 3 friendly matches), from July 2017 until November 2017. The kinematic parameters during official matches and SSGs were evaluated through video match analysis.
RESULTS: The kinematic data analysis shows that the metabolic power, that constitutes an integrated measure of acceleration and velocity, fails to reflect what occurs during actual match-play.
CONCLUSIONS: An increased attention should be place in planning SSGs during training to better reproduce actual match situations.

KEY WORDS: Soccer; Exercise; Athletes