Preseason Strategies of Italian First League Soccer Clubs in Relation to their Championship Ranking: A Five-Year Analysis.
This study is focused on the strategies adopted by Italian 'Serie A' soccer clubs during the non-competitive period. Thus, duration (i.e., number of days) of the specific non-competitive periods (i.e., off- plus pre-season, off-season, pre-season, summer camp), the number of games (i.e., friendly, official and polled games) and days between games (i.e., ≤ 3, 4-5, or ≥ 6 days between two consecutive games) of the entire non-competitive period were recorded and compared by clubs participating in the European Championships (EU), only 'Serie A' (A) and promoted from 'Serie B' (B) during five and single seasons (i.e., 2009/10-2013/14). Due to the short B off-season duration (2009/10-2013/14, 2010/11, 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14, p≤.001), effects between clubs emerged also for the off- plus preseason (2009/10-2013/14, EU vs A, p≤.01, EU vs B, p≤.01, A vs B, p≤.001; 2011/12, 2012/13, 2013/14, p≤.001). Nevertheless, no difference between clubs resulted for the pre-season. Reduced duration of summer camps was reported by the EU (i.e., 2009/10-2013/14, 2009/10, 2013/14, p≤.001). A higher number of official games were played by EU than A (i.e., 2009/10-2013/14, p≤.001; 2010/11, p≤.01). No effect emerged for the days between games. Therefore, despite the longer 'Serie B' schedule and EU preliminary UEFA games that determined the off-season restriction, clubs demonstrated the tendency to guarantee satisfactory pre-season duration.
Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome 'Foro Italico', Rome, Italy.
Fabio Massimo
FM
Francioni
Faculty of Sport Sciences and Physical Education, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
Antonio Jose
AJ
Figueiredo
Motor Science Research Center, School of Exercise and Sport Science, S.U.I.S.M., Department of Medical Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
Corrado
C
Lupo
Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome 'Foro Italico', Rome, Italy.
Daniele
D
Conte
Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome 'Foro Italico', Rome, Italy.
Laura
L
Capranica
Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome 'Foro Italico', Rome, Italy.
Antonio
A
Tessitore
Italian soccer first league; summer training camp; team sports periodization