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Luo L, Sun G, Guo E, Xu H, Wang Z. Impact of COVID-19 on football attacking players' match technical performance: a longitudinal study. Sci Rep 2024; 14:6057. [PMID: 38480764 PMCID: PMC10937722 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-56678-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 03/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/17/2024] Open
Abstract
This study examined the impact of COVID-19 on 28 indicators of match technical performance (MTP) for football attacking players upon their return to play. Analyzing data from 100 players in the Big Five European football leagues, covering 1500 matches each before and after COVID-19 over 3 years (2020-2023), revealed significant differences in 76% of players' MTP indicators. Notably, 14 indicators, particularly the five indicators linked to scoring, significantly decreased post-COVID-19. On average, players needed 3.09 matches to regain pre-infection MTP levels. The impact varied across player groups, with those in the elite group showing a milder effect; they required an average of 2.64 matches for recovery, compared to the control group's 3.55 matches. We found that, with increasing age, the majority of players' MTP indicators did not exhibit significant changes, both before and after they contracted COVID-19. In conclusion, the study highlighted the negative impact of COVID-19 on football attacking players' MTP. Players in the elite group experienced fewer adverse effects than those in the control group. This insight assisted coaches and managers in evaluating the impact of COVID-19 and similar virus-induced illnesses on players' MTP, enabling them to formulate training regimens for recovery and specific match tactics upon players' return to play.
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Affiliation(s)
- Le Luo
- College of Humanities and Law, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Ge Sun
- College of Humanities and Law, Beijing University of Chemical Technology, Beijing, China
| | - Enkai Guo
- College of Physical Education, Hunan Normal University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Hanbing Xu
- College of P. E and Sports, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhaohong Wang
- College of P. E and Sports, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China.
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Mihic N, Abascal J, López Chicharro J, Segura F, Huurman S, Núñez de Aysa B, Bouza E. Impact and control of the COVID pandemic in an elite sports club: Real Madrid. REVISTA ESPANOLA DE QUIMIOTERAPIA : PUBLICACION OFICIAL DE LA SOCIEDAD ESPANOLA DE QUIMIOTERAPIA 2023; 36:59-64. [PMID: 36336951 PMCID: PMC9910681 DOI: 10.37201/req/072.2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The incidence and risk factors for poor outcome in patients with COVID are well known, as are the protective measures in high-risk populations. In contrast, the epidemiological and clinical behavior of this disease in the population of elite athletes who are the paradigm of good health is poorly understood. Data on COVID in athletes are scarce and have focused preferentially on the consequences on sports performance of confinement measures and on the pathophysiological risks of infected athletes. Real Madrid is a large elite sports institution with facilities in the City of Madrid where 600 athletes train daily. The incidence of COVID during a study period of 671 days of observation in athletes, professional or amateur, working in the institution has been 0,74 per 1,000 days of exposure. The disease has been asymptomatic or oligosymptomatic in all athletes and did not require any hospital admissions. The different teams did not have to suspend any of its sportive commitments for COVID during the study period and there was no evidence of outbreaks of internal transmission between members of the different teams.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - E Bouza
- Servicio de Microbiología Clínica y Enfermedades Infecciosas del Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón, Universidad Complutense. CIBERES. Ciber de Enfermedades Respiratorias. Madrid, Spain.
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Ammann L, Altmann S, Ruf L, Sperlich B. Seasonal analysis of match load in professional soccer players: An observational cohort study of a Swiss U18, U21 and first team. Front Physiol 2023; 13:1023378. [PMID: 36685210 PMCID: PMC9846105 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.1023378] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to quantify and compare various external match load measures in three age groups and leagues in male soccer (U18 in highest league of their age group vs U21 in fourth highest league vs first team in highest league). In this retrospective observational cohort study accelerations, decelerations, absolute and relative high-speed running as well as sprint distance, dynamic stress load, explosive distance, high intensity bursts total distance, high metabolic load (HML) distance, speed intensity, total distance, total time, and total loading were assessed in 416 individual player matches of 59 players. All these external load measures showed large inter-individual variability. At a group level, one-way ANOVAs or Kruskal-Wallis tests revealed statistically significant differences between the three teams for all measures analyzed (all p < 0.05), except accelerations. The first team displayed statistically significant higher dynamic stress load, explosive distance, HML distance, speed intensity, total distance and total loading compared to the two youth teams (all p < 0.05). The U18 featured statistically significant higher number of decelerations, absolute and relative high-speed running distance, high metabolic load distance, speed intensity, relative sprint distance, total distance, and total time than the U21, while for U21 higher dynamic stress load was observed than for U18 (all p < 0.05). Based on our data we conclude a routinely monitoring of match loads of different age groups and competitive settings to be required to 1) provide an indication of what players need to be prepared for, 2) track the athletic and match evolution, and 3) individually tailor training programs allowing players to fulfill the short- and long-term sport-specific requirements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda Ammann
- Integrative and Experimental Exercise Science, Department of Sport Science, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - Stefan Altmann
- Institute of Sports and Sports Science, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany,TSG ResearchLab gGmbH, Zuzenhausen, Germany,*Correspondence: Stefan Altmann,
| | - Ludwig Ruf
- TSG ResearchLab gGmbH, Zuzenhausen, Germany
| | - Billy Sperlich
- Integrative and Experimental Exercise Science, Department of Sport Science, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
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Han B, Yang L, Pan P, García-de-Alcaraz A, Yang C, Liu T. The influence of removing home advantage on the Chinese Football Super League. BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil 2022; 14:208. [PMID: 36494746 PMCID: PMC9733305 DOI: 10.1186/s13102-022-00604-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2020 season Chinese Super League (CSL) was held in neutral venues, this study aims to analyse the impact of removing home advantage (HA) in CSL. METHOD 240 games of the CSL 2019 season (home and away double round-robin system) and 160 games of the 2020 season (in neutral venues) were analysed. 27 technical and tactical performance indicators were involved as dependent variables. A multiple linear regression model was established to analyse the influence of removing HA on the performance indicators. RESULTS After moving from home stadium to neutral venue in 2020 season, goal, shot, shot on target, shot from outside box, shot from inside box, shot on target from inside box, corner kick, key pass, cross, breakthrough, tackle decreased significantly (p < 0.05), while yellow card and foul increased steeply (p < 0.05). Comparing with playing away match, in neutral venue, free kicks and pass accuracy enhanced radically (p < 0.05), while tackle, clearance and block shot dropped noticeably (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION When removing HA and playing in the neutral venue, teams' performance dropped significantly. This study confirmed the positive impact of HA on the teams' performance and may help elite football teams make proper playing strategies regarding different match locations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bo Han
- grid.411614.70000 0001 2223 5394China Football College, Beijing Sport University, Beijing, 100084 China
| | - Lang Yang
- Present Address: Beijing Zhongguancun Foreign Language School, Beijing, 100085 China ,grid.20513.350000 0004 1789 9964College of Physical Education and Sports, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875 China
| | - Pengyu Pan
- grid.20513.350000 0004 1789 9964College of Physical Education and Sports, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875 China
| | - Antonio García-de-Alcaraz
- grid.28020.380000000101969356Department of Education, Faculty of Education Sciences, University of Almería, Almería, Spain ,grid.28020.380000000101969356SPORT Research Group (CTS-1024), CERNEP Research Center, University of Almería, Almería, Spain
| | - Can Yang
- grid.20513.350000 0004 1789 9964College of Physical Education and Sports, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875 China
| | - Tianbiao Liu
- grid.20513.350000 0004 1789 9964College of Physical Education and Sports, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, 100875 China
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Paulauskas R, Stumbras M, Coutinho D, Figueira B. Exploring the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in Euroleague Basketball. Front Psychol 2022; 13:979518. [PMID: 36211903 PMCID: PMC9539540 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.979518] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to understand how training and playing conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic affected the performance of Euroleague Basketball players. Using a non-participant observation analysis, the study compared the seasons before the lockdown (2018-2019 and 2019-2020; pre-pandemic) with the season after restart (2020-2021; pandemic). Paired t-tests and Wilcoxon tests were applied for variables with normal and non-normal distributions, respectively. The results revealed significant changes (p < 0.05) in several offensive and defensive performance-related variables during pandemic times (without attendance): free throw attempts, free throw percentage, turnovers, three-point attempt rate, fouls (small effect sizes, ESs), points, and possessions (trivial ES). The pre-pandemic HA (70%) significantly decreased after the lockdown, with games played with no crowd (∼51%; p = 0.018, large ES). The one-sample t-test showed that the HA after the COVID-19 interruption was not significantly greater than 50%, indicating that the HA did not endure during the pandemic condition. Although significant differences between home and away teams were found for most performance-related variables (excepting turnovers) in both pre-pandemic and pandemic conditions, variations of the relative HA were only significant for free throw attempts (large ES), points (medium ES), and turnovers (medium ES). The results of this study showed that performance variables were affected by the COVID-19 lockdown. Thus, these findings may help coaches, players, and referees to counteract unwanted competitive events and improve their overall performance, regardless of the contextual/situational circumstances encountered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rûtenis Paulauskas
- Educational Research Institute, Education Academy, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Mykolas Stumbras
- Educational Research Institute, Education Academy, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania
| | - Diogo Coutinho
- Research Center in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development, CIDESD, CreativeLab Research Community, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
- University Institute of Maia, ISMAI, Maia, Portugal
| | - Bruno Figueira
- Educational Research Institute, Education Academy, Vytautas Magnus University, Kaunas, Lithuania
- Research Center in Sports Sciences, Health Sciences and Human Development, CIDESD, CreativeLab Research Community, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal
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Silva AC, Amaral AS, Facundo LA, Wiprich MT, Rechenchosky L, Rinaldi W. Two Years of COVID-19 Pandemic: How the Brazilian Serie A Championship Was Affected by Home Advantage, Performance and Disciplinary Aspects. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:10308. [PMID: 36011943 PMCID: PMC9407876 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph191610308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Brazilian Serie A championship was played without crowds in 2020 and partially in the 2021 season. We verified if the home advantage (HA) was different between the 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2021 seasons. We also compared the HA, performance, and disciplinary aspects between the rounds with or without crowds and verified the association between the number of absent athletes because of health protocols and the HA in the 2020 and 2021 seasons. We calculated the HA using the Pollard method. The performance aspects were goals, corners, shots, and ball possession, and the disciplinary aspects were fouls, yellow cards, and red cards. The HA was higher in the 2018 season compared with the other seasons. The rounds with crowds showed higher HAs than the two previous seasons and the teams had more shots and scored more goals than in the rounds without crowds. There were 457 athletes in the 2020 season and 123 athletes in the 2021 season who were absent because of health protocols, and there was no association between absence and HA. The COVID-19 pandemic affected soccer in the two last seasons in different ways in the Brazilian Serie A championship.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aldo Coelho Silva
- Grupo de Estudos e Pesquisas Aplicadas em Futebol, Departamento de Educação Física, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá 87020-900, Brazil
| | - Adriana Souza Amaral
- Departamento de Educação Física, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Lucas Alves Facundo
- Departamento de Educação Física, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Melissa Talita Wiprich
- Laboratório de Neuroquímica e Psicofarmacologia, Escola de Ciências da Saúde e da Vida, Pontífica Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre 90619-900, Brazil
| | - Leandro Rechenchosky
- Grupo de Estudos e Pesquisas Aplicadas em Futebol, Departamento de Educação Física, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá 87020-900, Brazil
| | - Wilson Rinaldi
- Grupo de Estudos e Pesquisas Aplicadas em Futebol, Departamento de Educação Física, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Maringá 87020-900, Brazil
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Sors F, Grassi M, Agostini T, Murgia M. A complete season with attendance restrictions confirms the relevant contribution of spectators to home advantage and referee bias in association football. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13681. [PMID: 35811811 PMCID: PMC9261922 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Due to the unfortunate pandemic situation, the phenomena of home advantage and referee bias in sports have recently received a particular research attention, especially in association football. In this regard, several studies were conducted on the last portion of the 2019-20 season: the majority of them suggests a reduction-but not the elimination-of the two phenomena, with some exceptions in which no reduction was found or, at the other extreme, the phenomena were not observed at all. Methods The continuation of the pandemic made it possible to replicate the previous studies considering the complete 2020-21 season, thus with the important added value of having a fully balanced home/away schedule-and a higher number of matches-in the various leagues. In particular, the sample of the present study consisted of 3,898 matches from the first and second divisions of the UEFA top five ranked countries, that is, England, Spain, Italy, Germany, and France. For the home advantage, the following variables were examined: distribution of matches outcomes and home advantage for points (also for previous seasons from the 2014-15 one); ball possession; total shots; shots on goal; and corner kicks. Instead, for he referee bias, the following variables were examined: fouls; yellow cards; red cards; penalty kicks; and extra time. Chi-square tests were used to compare the distribution of matches outcomes, and t-tests to compare home vs. away data for the other variables in the 2020-21 season; Bayesian and equivalence analyses were also conducted. Results The main results are as follows: (a) the distribution of matches outcomes in the 2020-21 season was significantly different from that of the last five complete seasons with spectators (Chi-square = 37.42, df = 2, p < 0.001), with fewer home victories and more away victories; the resulting values of the home advantage for points were 54.95% for the 2020-21 season, and 59.36% for the previous seasons; (b) for the other home advantage variables, a statistically significant overall advantage for the home team emerged; nevertheless, the strength of the differences between home and away teams was generally small (0.09 < Cohen's d < 0.17), and the corresponding means can be considered statistically equivalent for all variables but the total shots; (c) no statistically significant differences emerged between home and away teams for any of the referee bias variables. Discussion These findings demonstrate that the absence of spectators significantly reduced the home advantage compared to previous seasons with spectators. A slight home advantage persisted in the 2020-21 season, probably due to other factors, namely, learning and travel, according to the model by Courneya & Carron (1992). Conversely, the referee bias was not observed, suggesting that it mainly derives from the pressure normally exerted by spectators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabrizio Sors
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Michele Grassi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Tiziano Agostini
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Mauro Murgia
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
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Modric T, Versic S, Chmura P, Konefał M, Andrzejewski M, Jukic I, Drid P, Pocek S, Sekulic D. Match Running Performance in UEFA Champions League: Is There a Worthwhile Association with Team Achievement? BIOLOGY 2022; 11:867. [PMID: 35741388 PMCID: PMC9219775 DOI: 10.3390/biology11060867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Although running performance (RP) is considered an important factor of success in soccer, there is a lack of studies to examine this issue in highest-level soccer competition, such as UEFA Champions League (UCL). Therefore, the main objective of this study was to analyse players' RP according to the achievement of their teams in UCL. In addition, position specific RP of the players who competed in the UCL was evaluated. The players' RPs (n = 244) were collected during UCL group stage matches (n = 20) in the 2020/21 season using semiautomatic optical system InStat Fitness. A team's achievement was defined by qualification of the team from the group stage into the knockout stage of the UCL, and by total group points earned at the end of the UCL group stage. Linear mixed models and Pearson's correlation were used to examine differences in players' RP according to the achievement of their teams. Results indicated (i) similar values of RP irrespective of whether the teams qualified from the group stage into the knockout stage of the UCL, and (ii) trivial-to-small correlations between RP and total group points. Such findings show that players' RP was poorly related to the achievement of their teams in the UCL group stage, indicating trivial influence of RP on success in elite-level soccer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toni Modric
- Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia;
| | - Sime Versic
- Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia;
- HNK Hajduk Split, 21000 Split, Croatia
| | - Paweł Chmura
- Department of Team Games, Wrocław University of Health and Sport Sciences, 51612 Wrocław, Poland;
| | - Marek Konefał
- Department of Human Motor Skills, Wrocław University of Health and Sport Sciences, 51612 Wrocław, Poland;
| | - Marcin Andrzejewski
- Department of Methodology of Recreation, Poznań University of Physical Education, 61871 Poznań, Poland;
| | - Igor Jukic
- Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia;
| | - Patrik Drid
- Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, University of Novi Sad, 21 000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (P.D.); (S.P.)
| | - Suncica Pocek
- Faculty of Sport and Physical Education, University of Novi Sad, 21 000 Novi Sad, Serbia; (P.D.); (S.P.)
| | - Damir Sekulic
- Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Split, 21000 Split, Croatia;
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