The Hidden Cost of Midweek Matches
How Different Competitions Influence Weekend Performance and Player Load Profiles
The following summary critically reviews the research paper titled “Do the Competitions Played During Congested Weeks Influence the External Load of Spanish Soccer Teams? Analysis by Match Playing Time” by David Lobo Triviño, Tomás García Calvo, Jorge Polo Tejada, Javier Raya González, Roberto López del Campo, Ricardo Resta, and Aldo A. Vasquez Bonilla. All data, figures, and analysis presented here are drawn from their original work; I do not claim any authorship or ownership of the content. This summary has been written to provide a concise and technically informed synthesis of the paper’s findings, methodologies, and implications, while maintaining fidelity to the authors’ intellectual contributions.
Background
Over the past decade, elite football has experienced a steady increase in physical demands, largely driven by the intensification of competitions and the growing number of matches within short timeframes. Congested fixture periods, typically defined as matches played with less than 96 hours of recovery, have become increasingly common and are associated with fluctuations in external load.
These periods impose both physiological and psychological strain, with top teams sometimes playing up to six matches in 18 days. This accumulation of load is linked to neuromuscular fatigue, reduced recovery, and increased injury risk. While prior research has documented general declines or adaptations in physical output during congested schedules, it has largely treated these periods as homogeneous, without considering the type of competition involved.
The paper highlights that different competitions, such as domestic leagues, national cups, and the UEFA Champions League, may impose distinct contextual demands. These include differences in opponent quality, travel, tactical priorities, and psychological pressure. As a result, understanding external load requires a more granular approach that integrates both competition type and individual playing time.
Another key limitation in existing literature is the lack of attention to player-specific exposure. Players accumulating more than 200 minutes in a week may experience very different physical effects compared to those playing limited minutes. Previous findings suggest that higher match exposure can influence high-intensity outputs such as high-speed running.
This study addresses these gaps through three main contributions:
First, it analyses an entire season, reducing match-to-match variability.
Second, it differentiates congested weeks by competition type.
Third, it incorporates individual playing time categories, acknowledging that fatigue accumulation varies across players.
The central objective is to examine how competition type and playing time interact to influence external load. The authors hypothesise that low-intensity distances increase during congested weeks and that substitute players will exhibit higher relative high-intensity outputs.
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Methods
Study Design
The study adopts a retrospective, descriptive, and longitudinal design to compare external load between congested (CON) and non-congested (NCON) weeks. Weeks are classified as CON when two matches occur within the same week and as NCON when only one match is played.
Importantly, congested weeks are further categorised based on the type of midweek competition: League, Cup, or Champions League. External load measurements are taken exclusively from the weekend LaLiga matches, isolating the effect of midweek competition on subsequent performance.
Players are grouped according to total weekly playing time into four categories: Starters (>150 min), Replaced (95–149 min), Fringe (60–94 min), and Non-Starters (0–59 min). This classification captures differences in cumulative exposure within the weekly microcycle.
Participants
The dataset consists of 120 professional players from the top five LaLiga teams during the 2023/24 season, yielding 2,671 match observations across 108 matches. Goalkeepers are excluded due to their distinct physical demands. Data are provided by LaLiga.
Procedure
External load data are collected using the Mediacoach® multi-camera tracking system, which records player positions at 25 Hz and derives movement metrics such as distances, accelerations, and speeds. The system has been validated with strong correlations (r > .80) and high reliability (ICC > 0.75) compared to GPS systems.
Study Variables
External load is decomposed into multiple metrics, including total distance (TD) and distances across speed zones: very low (0–6 km/h), low (6–12 km/h), medium (12–18 km/h), high (18–21 km/h), very high (21–24 km/h), sprint (24–28 km/h), and high sprint (>28 km/h). Additional variables include accelerations, decelerations, maximum speed, sprint counts, and high metabolic load distance (HMLD).
HMLD is particularly notable, as it integrates both speed and acceleration demands, capturing efforts above 25.5 W·kg⁻¹ and including sub-threshold accelerations that may not be counted in traditional acceleration metrics.
All variables, except intensity averages and maximum speed, are normalised per minute to allow fair comparisons across different playing times.
Statistical Analysis
The study employs Linear Mixed Models (LMMs) to account for the hierarchical structure of the data, with repeated observations nested within players. Competition type and playing time are modelled as fixed effects, while player identity is included as a random effect.
This approach allows the authors to capture both within-player and between-player variability. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) range from 0.33 to 0.58 for distance variables, indicating a substantial proportion of variance attributable to individual players.
Results
The Influence of Congested Schedule on External Load
The results show that players in non-congested weeks cover significantly less distance at very low and low speeds compared to congested weeks. This suggests a redistribution of effort rather than a simple increase in total output.
Differences on External Load According to Competition Type
Clear differences emerge across competition types. During congested weeks involving the Champions League, players cover significantly less total distance than during League or Cup congestion. However, these weeks are characterised by higher acceleration values.
This indicates a shift toward a more intense, stop-start profile rather than sustained running. The paper notes that “CON weeks by UCL are associated with lower total distance but increased acceleration,” highlighting a distinct physical signature for this competition context.
Differences on External Load According to Competition Type and Match Playing Time
When incorporating playing time, more nuanced patterns appear. Non-Starters cover significantly greater total distance during Cup congestion compared to UCL and NCON weeks. They also show higher values in medium- and very high-speed running in several contexts.
In particular, Non-Starters exhibit higher very high-speed running (VHSR) during Cup-congested weeks than in both UCL congestion and non-congested weeks. This reflects their ability to perform higher-intensity actions due to lower accumulated fatigue.
Across player categories, Non-Starters consistently demonstrate higher high-intensity outputs, including MSR, HSR, VHSR, and sprint distances, especially in non-congested weeks. Conversely, no consistent differences are observed in sprint and high sprint distances across competition types.
In terms of neuromuscular variables, Non-Starters show higher HMLD and acceleration-related metrics, while achieving lower maximum speeds compared to other players.
Discussion
The Influence of Congested Schedule on External Load
The increase in low-intensity running during congested weeks is interpreted as a pacing strategy. Players may increase walking and jogging volumes to preserve their ability to perform high-intensity actions when required. This aligns with the idea that external load is redistributed rather than uniformly increased.
However, the absence of significant differences in total distance suggests that the key effect lies in how effort is allocated across speed zones rather than in overall workload. This reinforces the need to monitor not only total output but also its internal composition.
Differences on External Load According to Competition Type
Competition type plays a critical role in shaping physical performance. Champions League congestion is associated with lower distances across most speed zones but higher accelerations. This may reflect stronger opposition and more demanding tactical contexts.
In contrast, Cup matches tend to produce higher high-intensity outputs, likely due to greater squad rotation and reduced fatigue among participating players. The study also highlights the role of recovery limitations, noting that incomplete recovery within 72 hours may restrict players’ ability to reach high speeds above 24 km/h.
HMLD emerges as a particularly sensitive metric, capturing efforts that combine speed and acceleration and revealing differences not detected by traditional acceleration thresholds.
Differences on External Load according to Competition Type and Match Playing Time
The interaction between competition type and playing time is central to the study’s contribution. Knockout competitions such as the Cup and Champions League introduce additional uncertainty and may increase physical demands.
Non-Starters display consistently higher high-intensity outputs, which the authors attribute to lower accumulated fatigue and different pacing strategies. Substitutes are aware of their limited playing time and may therefore exert higher intensity during their minutes, as supported by prior literature.
The study also shows that high-intensity performance decreases during Champions League congestion compared to Cup weeks, particularly for players with higher playing time. This is explained by the greater fatigue accumulated in high-level matches and reduced opportunities for rotation.
Limitations and Future Directions
The study acknowledges several limitations. The sample is restricted to Spanish teams, limiting generalisability. Match playing time is treated categorically rather than continuously, which may obscure dose-response relationships.
Additionally, the analysis focuses exclusively on external load, omitting internal load measures such as heart rate or perceived exertion, as well as tactical and contextual variables. The absence of information on opponent strength, environmental conditions, and team strategies further limits interpretation.
Future research is encouraged to integrate these dimensions and explore injury incidence, match outcomes, and competition phases to provide a more comprehensive understanding of load dynamics.
Conclusion
The findings demonstrate that competition type significantly influences external load during congested weeks, and that these effects vary according to individual playing time. Players in non-congested weeks cover less distance at low intensities, while League congestion leads to higher total distance compared to Champions League or non-congested contexts.
Non-Starters consistently exhibit higher high-intensity outputs, particularly during Cup congestion, reflecting lower fatigue and different pacing behaviour. Overall, the study shows that external load cannot be understood without considering both competition context and player-specific exposure.
Practical Applications
The study emphasises the importance of integrating competition context and player participation into load management strategies. Individualising training loads based on playing time and competition type is essential, particularly through targeted top-up sessions.
The findings suggest that players with high match exposure may struggle to sustain moderate-to-high-speed running due to fatigue, highlighting the need for tailored recovery strategies. Preventive interventions, particularly for muscle groups such as the hamstrings and calves, may also be beneficial following congested schedules.
Learn More
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References
Lobo-Triviño, D., García-Calvo, T., Polo-Tejada, J., Raya-González, J., López del Campo, R., Resta, R., & Vasquez-Bonilla, A. A. (2026). Do the Competitions Played During Congested Weeks Influence the External Load of Spanish Soccer Teams? Analysis by Match Playing Time. Sports Medicine-Open, 12(1), 33.
https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-026-01008-x