Influence of contextual variables in the changes of direction and centripetal force generated during an elite-level soccer team season

Abstract

The study of the contextual variables that a ect soccer performance is important to be able to reproduce the competition context during the training sessions. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the e ect of match outcome as related to goal di erence (large win, >2 goals, LW; narrow win, 1–2 goals, NW; drawing, D; narrow loss, 1–2 goals, NL; or large loss, >2 goals, LL), match location (home, H; away, A; neutral, N), type of competition (international, INT; national, NAT; friendly, F), phase of the season (summer preseason, SPS; in-season 1, IS1; winter preseason, WPS; in-season 2), and the field surface (natural grass, NG; artificial turf, TF) on the change of direction (COD) and centripetal force (CentF) generated during o cial games. Thirty male elite-level soccer players (age: 26.57 5.56 years) were assessed while using WIMU PROTM inertial devices (RealTrack Systems, Almeria, Spain) in 38 matchesduringthe2017–2018season, selecting for analysis the number of CODatdi erent intensities and the CentF, depending on the turn direction. Statistical analyses comprised a one-way ANOVA with the Bonferroni post-hoc and t-test for independent samples. The main results showed that the match outcome ( p2 = 0.01–0.04; NW = D = NL > LL), match location ( p2 = 0.01–0.06; A = N > H), type of competition ( p2 = 0.01–0.02; INT > NAT > F), and period of the season ( p2 = 0.01–0.02; SPS = IS1 = WPS > IS2) all exert some influence. No e ect was found for the playing surface. Therefore, match outcome, match location, type of competition, and period of the season influence the demands of centripetal force and changes of direction. These aspects should be considered in the design of training sessions and microcycle workload planning during the season to improve competitive success.