How Does Ball Possession Affect the Physical Demands in Spanish LaLiga? A Multilevel Approach

ABSTRACT

Purpose: Using a multilevel approach, this study analyzed the relationship between ball possession and distance covered at different speed sections: total distance (TD), distance covered between 14.1–21 km·h−1 (MIRD), 21.1–24 km·h−1 (HIRD), and > 24.1 km·h−1 (VHIRD). Methods: The sample included 1,520 matches played by 80 Spanish professional soccer teams across four consecutive LaLiga seasons (from 2015/2016 to 2018/2019). Two observations were collected per match, one from each team, resulting in a total of 2,950 records (760 per season). Data were collected using Mediacoach®. Results: At match level (i.e., grand-mean centered), ball possession negatively predicted all distances covered. At team level (i.e., group-mean centered), ball possession negatively predicted total distance covered and distance covered between 14.1–21 km·h−1. Furthermore, cross-level interactions (Match X Team) in ball possession negatively predicted all distances covered at speeds above 14.1 km·h−1. Specifically, in high-possession teams, the negative relationship between match ball possession and distances traveled at all speed ranges above 14.1 km·h−1 was stronger than in teams with medium or low possession. Conversely, match ball possession was positively related todistance covered at low intensities, and negatively related at high intensities in low-possession teams. Conclusion: These findings show practitioners and researchers that the distances covered at different speed ranges depend on technical-tactical parameters such as ball possession.

KEYWORDS:

• Ball possession
• match running performance
• multilevel analysis
• professional soccer

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

¹ No authors have a conflict of interest.

Additional information

Funding

Financial support provided by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF; GR18KA20), the Government of Extremadura (Department of Economy and Infrastructure) and LaLiga Research and Analysis Sections.