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Match Outcome and Running Performance Among UEFA Champions League Soccer Players

This study aimed to examine position-specific differences in running performance (RP) ac-cording to the match outcome in UEFA Champions League (UCL). The players’ RPs (n=244)were collected during UCL group stage matches (n=20) in the 2020/21 season using semi -automatic optical system InStat Fitness, and classified according to their playing positionsas: central defenders (CD ; n=79), fullbacks (FB ; n=65), central midfielders (CM ; n=55), widemidfielders (WM ; n=28) and forward (FW ; n=17). The RP variables included: total distancecovered, low-intensity (LIR) (<14.3km/h), running (14.4–19.7 km/h), high-speed running(HSR) (19.8–25.1 km/h), and sprinting (>25.2 km/h). Match outcome was observed as win, draw and loss. One-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to examine differences inRP according to the match outcome. Significant differences in TD (F- test=4.16, p=0.02) andLIR (F-test=4.51, p=0.01) among match outcomes were observed for FBs. Specifically, FBscovered significantly greater TD when their team won than when lost (p=0.03, d=0.79). Inaddition, FBs’ LIR was significantly greater in won matches than in drew (p=0.04, d=0.92)and lost matches (p=0.03, d=0.77). The RP of players on all other playing position were simi-lar irrespective to the match outcome (F- test=0.08 to 2.84, all p>0.05). These results indicat-ed that winning UCL matches is not strongly influenced by players’ physical performance, except for FBs who tended to covered greater total- and low- distance when their teamswon. This study indicated limited overall influence of RP on success in matches at elite- lev-el soccer. The findings from this study may help soccer coaches to ensure optimal physicalpreparation of players in elite soccer.

physical performance, winning, elite players, playing positions, football

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