Are Physical Performance and Injury Risk in a Professional Soccer Team in Match-Play Affected Over a Prolonged Period of Fixture Congestion?

In this study, the effects of a prolonged period of fixture congestion (8 successive official matches in 26 days) on physical performance and injury risk and severity in a professional soccer team were investigated. Computerised motion-analysis was used to analyse the overall distance covered and that run at light- (0.0-11.0km.h(-1)); low- (11.1-14.0km.h(-1)); moderate- (14.1-19.7km.h(-1)) and high-intensities (>= 19.8km.h(-1)) for the team as a whole. Distances were measured in metres per minute. Information on match injuries was recorded prospectively. The overall distance covered varied across successive matches (p < 0.001) as more distance was run in games 4 and 7 compared to 2 and 3, respectively (126.6 +/- 12.3m.min(-1) and 125.0 +/- 13.2 m.min(-1) vs. 116.0 +/- 8.0m.min(-1) and 115.5 +/- 11.0m.min(-1)). Distance run in light-intensity exercise also varied (p < 0.001) as more distance was covered in game 4 vs. 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6 (75.5 +/- 3.8m.min(-1) vs. 70.6 +/- 2.4m.min(-1), 71.8 +/- 3.4m.min(-1), 69.3 +/- 2.6m.min(-1), 71.5 +/- 3.1m.min(-1), and 70.3 +/- 2.8m.min(-1)) and in game 8 vs. game 3 (73.1 +/- 3.8 vs. 69.3 +/- 2.6m.min(-1)), respectively. When comparing match halves, there were no differences across games in overall or high-intensity distance covered and performance in these measures was similar for matches played before, during and after this period. Globally, no difference over the 8 games combined was observed between the reference team and opponents in any of the performance measures whereas the overall distance covered and that in low-(both p < 0.001) and high-intensity running (p = 0.040) differed in individual games. The incidence of match injury during the congested fixture period was similar to rates reported outside this period but the mean lay-off duration of injuries was substantially shorter during the former (p < 0.05). In summary, while the overall distance run and that covered at lower intensities varied across games, high-intensity running performance and injury risk were generally unaffected during a prolonged period of fixture congestion. These results might be linked to squad rotation and post-match recovery strategies in place at the present club.