2021, Volume 13, Issue 4
Differences between official and non-official matches in worst-case scenarios in elite futsal players
Konstantinos Spyrou1, Tomás T. Freitas1, Elena Marín-Cascales2, Rubén Herrero-Carrasco3, Pedro E. Alcaraz4
1UCAM Research Center for High Performance Sport, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Catholic University of Murcia
2Strength and Conditioning Society
3Research Group Murcia Soccer Federation
4UCAM Research Center for High Performance Sport, Catholic University of Murcia
Author for correspondence: Konstantinos Spyrou; UCAM Research Center for High Performance Sport, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Catholic University of Murcia; email: kspyrou@ucam.edu
Full text
Abstract
Background: This study aimed to compare the worst-case scenarios (WCS) between official (OFF) and non-official (Non-OFF) matches, in different time-periods in an elite futsal team.
Material and methods: Twenty-six games were divided into OFF (n = 13) and Non-OFF (n = 13). The WCS were calculated using: two methods, rolling averages (ROLL) and fixed-periods (FIX); four-length epochs (30-s, 1-, 3-, and 5-min); and player load per minute (PL·min-1).
Results: Considering ROLL, significant and small differences were found in PL·min-1, with higher intensity in 30-s (p = 0.001; ES = -0.53) and 1-min (p = 0.001; ES = -0.47) in OFF when compared to Non-OFF, but non-significant and small to trivial changes in 3-min (p = 0.060; ES = -0.23) and 5-min (p = 0.605; ES = -0.06) were observed. Regarding FIX, significant and small changes were obtained, with higher intensity in OFF in all time-periods when compared to Non-OFF. Significant differences were found between the two methods (ROLL vs FIX) in 30-s, 1- and 3-min, but not in 5-min. Significant differences, with lower PL·min-1, were observed with increasing time-windows from both methods (p = 0.001).
Conclusions: In summary, OFF matches present higher WCS than Non-OFF ones when considering short time-periods, and the FIX method could underestimate the “actual intensity” of the match compared to ROLL.
Key words: five-a-side soccer, most demanding passages, external load, performance