The Journal of Sports Medicine and Physical Fitness 2020 Dec 14

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 INNAURATO ⁵, Giuseppe ANNINO ², Vincenzo MANZI ³ ✉

¹ Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences, The Tom Reilly Building, Liverpool John Moores University, Liverpool, UK; ² Dipartimento di Scienze Cliniche e Medicina Traslazionale, Università Tor Vergata, Roma, Italy; ³ Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico San Raffaele Pisana, Roma, Italy; ⁴ Sports Science Department, Aspire Academy, Doha, Qatar; ⁵ Institut d’Éducation Physique, Haute Ecole de la Province de Liège (HEPL), Liège, Belgique

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 pre-season 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 matchplay.
CONCLUSIONS: An increased attention should be place in planning SSGs during training to better reproduce actual match situations.

KEY WORDS: Soccer; Training methodology; Small side games; Video match analysis; GPS kinematic parameters