Effects of match contextual factors on internal and external load in elite Brazilian professional soccer players through the season.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of contextual match factors (quality of opposition, match outcome, change of head coach or playing style) on internal and external load in elite Brazilian professional soccer players, considering the total and effective playing time. Twenty-two professional male outfield soccer players participated in this study (age 28.4 ± 4.9 years; height 1.78 ± 0.1 cm; body mass 72.9 ± 7.1 kg). The internal (rating of perceived exertion-based load [sRPE]) and external load (distance and accelerometry-based measures) were recorded during 38 matches, over the 2021 season of the Brazilian National 1st Division League using a global position system (10 Hz) integrated with an accelerometer (200 Hz). The main results were: (i) matches played against weak opponents presented greater values of sprinting distances compared to matches against intermediate and strong opponents; (ii) players covered greater high-intensity running distances when drawing than winning the matches; (iii) matches with assistant coaches presented higher mean speed relative to effective playing time (MSEPT) compared to coach 1 and coach 2 conditions. In addition, players covered greater MSEPT and high-acceleration in matches with coach 2 vs. coach 3; (iv) finally, small positive correlations were observed between positional attack sequences and MSTPT, total distance covered, and acceleration. Coaches and practitioners should consider these results when interpreting external load variables during elite Brazilian soccer matches.

The effect of post-match resistance training on recovery in female footballers; when is best to train?

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the effects of resistance training (RT) performed at 24 or 48h post-match on recovery in female soccer players. METHODS: In a randomized cross-over design, 10 professional female soccer players undertook matches followed by three conditions: Control (no RT), RT-24h and RT-48h post-match. RT was a high-speed and low-load session, consisting of 3 sets of 6 repetitions of lower-body exercises at 50%1RM. During training, one exercise (half-squat) was performed on a force platform to determine mean and peak forces. Tests were undertaken pre, 24, 48 and 72h post-match including countermovement jump (CMJ), 20m sprint, C-reactive protein (CRP) and delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS). Two-way repeated-measures ANOVA and Effect size (ES) analyses compared the time-course of recovery. RESULTS: Despite no significant differences between conditions, ES for changes from pre to 72h were larger for CMJ, 10 and 20m sprint time, and DOMS in RT48h (ES=0.38-2.13) than in RT24h (ES=0.08-0.66) and in Control (ES=0.09-0.36). No differences in forces of half-squat exercise existed between conditions (p>0.05; ES=0.05-0.06). CONCLUSION: The trend for suppressed recovery of speed, power and perceptual responses at 72h post-match suggests RT48h is less ideal in female soccer players, particularly during congested micro-cycles.