Author(s): BAZZONI, M., TRECROCI, A., MURATORE, S., ESPOSITO, F., MAZZONI, S., RIBOLI, A., Institution: UNIVERSITY OF MILAN, Country: ITALY, Abstract-ID: 2742

INTRODUCTION:
Peak demands across different time windows during official matches are usually utilized for training prescription in top-class football (1,2); it was previously reported that the 90-min average represents only about 16% of the 1-minpeak for very high speed running and about 9% for sprinting (2). Nowadays, a lack of information about peak demands are still available when comparing different age-categories and sexes (3); additionally, at the best of our knowledges none information about the distribution of the peak demands across the matches are available. Therefore, this study aims to analyse between age-categories and between-sexes differences in peak demands across different time windows and their distribution across the match.
METHODS:
Male (n= 108) and female (n = 79) top-class soccer players across different age categories (males: PRO, U20, U18, U17, U16, U15; females: PRO, U19, U17, U15) were monitored during official matches across different competitive seasons. 219 and 95 matches were analysed for male and female players, respectively. The peak-demand were set as 1 to 5, 10 and 15 minutes. Data were collected with 18 Hz GPS units, each file was trimmed into 1 minute time windows using a rolling average to calculate the peak time windows. The relative (m·min-1) metrics used were: Total distance (TD), High Speed Running (HSR, 15-20 km·h-1), Very High-Speed Running (VHSR, 20-24 km·h−1), Sprint (SPR, >24 km·h−1), Acceleration (ACC) and Deceleration (DEC) distance. Cohen’s d effect size (ES) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) was used to describe the magnitude of pairwise differences: <0.20: trivial; 0.20-0.59: small; 0.60-1.19: moderate; 1.20-1.99: large; ≥2.00: very large (4). Only outfield players that play 95% of the match time were considered.
RESULTS:
In women PRO the 1-min Peak was higher (P<0.05) in all the metrics compared to youth (e.g. women U19 ESs: 0.70-0.90). Compared to men PRO, 1-min Peak for TD, HSR, VHSR, SPRINT, DEC increase as the age-category increase: U19 (ESs: 0.09-0.48), U18 (ESs: 0.38-0.90), U17 (ESs: 0.58-1.28). ACC showed the highest (P<0.05) differences when comparing PRO to U18 (ES: 2.28) and U17 (ES: 3.01). Comparing men PRO to women PRO, significant ACC difference was found (P<0.05; ES: 4.24). The time distribution of 1-min Peak was earlier for TD (e.g. men PRO: 35.1±26.1 minutes) compared to SPRINT (e.g. men PRO: 43.9±25.4 minutes) and other high intensity metrics (e.g. men PRO VHSR: 41.9±26.5 minutes) across all age-categories and sexes.
CONCLUSION:
In women, PRO covered higher values in all metrics compared to youth players for 1-min Peak, with a higher physical demands increasing the age-categories. In men, ACC was the main metrics that differed between PRO and young. The great difference between men PRO and all others may be possible due to several aspects (i.e. playing style, neuromuscular components, maturity status).
1) Weaving et al. 2022; 2) Riboli et al. 2022; 3) Harkness-Armstrong 2022; 4) Hopkins et al. 2009