Author(s): LI VOLSI, D., UNGUREANU, A.N., BRUSTIO, P.R., PERROTTA, R., RAINOLDI, A., LUPO, C., Institution: UNIVERSITY OF TURIN, Country: ITALY, Abstract-ID: 446

INTRODUCTION:
Professional soccer teams’ season are characterized by contextual factors that could affect players’ perceptual demand. For this reason, this study investigated how weekly internal training load can be modulated by the previous and upcoming competitive context. Specifically, we analysed the effects of the following opponents’ ranking and match location on training impulse (TRIMP) and rating of perceived exertion (RPE), also separating starters and non–starters subgroups.
METHODS:
Weekly training load data were collected along an entire competitive season in a Serie A soccer team recently relegated to a lower division. Internal load during the week preceding the match was quantified using session–RPE (sRPE) and Banister’s TRIMP, while external training load (ETL) was monitored according with the distance per minute indicator. Opponent current ranking (LOW 14th–20th place, MID 8th–13th place, TOP 1st–7th place) and match location (home vs away) referred to the subsequent official match. Players were classified in starters (who performed at least 30 minutes in both previous and subsequent matches relative to the analysed training week) and non–starters. Linear mixed–effects models were applied to assess: i) differences between starters and non–starers in terms of sRPE and TRIMP, and their relationship; ii) differences in terms of opponent ranking and match location in starters and non–starters for sRPE and TRIMP; iii) the relationship between sRPE and TRIMP considering ranking and match location in starters and non–starters.
RESULTS:
Starters exhibited lower sRPE (ES=0.2) and TRIMP (ES=0.4) compared with non–starters. Opponent ranking and match location significantly influenced sRPE even after accounting for TRIMP both in two subgroups, indicating a context–dependent dissociation between physiological and perceptual load. Despite weekly TRIMP was significantly higher before matches against TOP opponents in both groups (starters ES=0.2; non–starters ESrange=0.2–0.5), the highest sRPE emerged before matches against LOW (starters ES=0.5; non–starters ES=0.2), TOP opponents (starters ES=0.4; non–starters ES=0.4) and away matches (starters ES=0.3; non–starters ES=0.2). Moreover, the within–player relationship between sRPE and TRIMP was significantly steeper in starters (ß=2.86) than in non–starters (ß=2.63). This relationship was further modulated by opponent ranking, indicating differences in load perception across competitive contexts.
CONCLUSION:
Weekly internal training load resulted strongly affected by the competitive context. A higher perceptual response against LOW opponents (similar ranking of the team studied) in starters shows a context–sensitive modulation of the physiological–perceptual load relationship. These findings highlight the importance of integrating contextual variables into training load monitoring and support the complementary use of physiological and perceptual parameters to capture distinct components of internal load in elite soccer.