Rethinking training in elite soccer players: comparative evidence of small-sided games and official match play in kinematic parameters.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare kinematics parameters among official matches and SSGs of an Italian premier league soccer team. 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 preseason 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. 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 match-play. An increased attention should be place in planning SSGs during training to better reproduce actual match situations.