{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,4]],"date-time":"2026-09-04T13:36:50Z","timestamp":1788529010575,"version":"build-2803163510"},"reference-count":51,"publisher":"Public Library of Science (PLoS)","issue":"8","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,28]],"date-time":"2024-08-28T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1724803200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":["www.plosone.org"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["PLoS ONE"],"abstract":"\nObjectives<\/jats:title>\nAims of the present investigation encompassed: (i) the quantification of training and match loads experienced by starters and non-starters within a professional soccer team; (ii) the identification of variations in these loads across different training modalities, namely, Preparation Training (PT), Match and Match Compensation Training (M&MCT), and their cumulative sum (Total Load; TL); and (iii) the formulation of guidelines aimed at harmonizing the weekly workloads between the groups.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n\nMethods<\/jats:title>\nInternal and external load of training sessions (n = 97), competitive matches (n = 21) and running based sessions (n = 4) were recorded for 21 weeks to investigate possible heterogeneity between starters and non-starters across PT, M&MCT and TL.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n\nResults<\/jats:title>\nDuring PT, time spent in heart rate zone 5 (HRZ5) was increased for non-starters (+46.1%). During M&MCT, lower loads for non-starters were found in the rate of perceived exertion (sRPE) (-45.6%), HRZ4 (-54%) and HRZ5 (-77.8%), total distance (TD) (-37%), number of sprints (-58.1%), distance in speed zone 1 (-51.1%), zone 3 (-61.5%) and zone 4 (-59.8%) (SZ1, SZ3&4) and all acceleration and deceleration zones (Acc1-4; Dec1-4) (Acc1: -53.1%; Acc2: -56.3%; Acc3: -59.2%; Acc4: 57.8%) (Dec1: -45.9%; Dec2: -55.2%; Dec3: -63.2%; Dec4: -67.7%). Regarding TL, the non-starters\u2019 loads remain lower compared to starters for sRPE (-19.2%), HRZ4 (-21.6%) and HRZ5 (-41.4%), number of sprints (-26.7%), SZ3 (-34.2%), Acc3 (-24.4%), Acc4 (-26.1%), Dec2 (-18.7%), Dec3 (-24%) and Dec4 (-31.2%).<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>\n\nConclusions<\/jats:title>\nBy implementing a running-based regimen on matchday and MCT the day after (MD+1), TD, distances in SZ1, SZ2, SZ4, SZ5, and counts of accelerations in Acc1&2, as well as Dec1, were effectively replicated for non-starters. All other variables remained unaligned for the non-starters. Given the prevalent emphasis on Small-Sided Games (SSGs) during MCT at MD+1, the incorporation of an additional running-based session for non-starters on MD is advised to address gaps in TD, sprint counts, and high-intensity load variables, such as HRZ4&5 and SZ 3 to 5.<\/jats:p>\n<\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1371\/journal.pone.0309475","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,28]],"date-time":"2024-08-28T18:49:02Z","timestamp":1724870942000},"page":"e0309475","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1371\/journal.pone.corrections_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["A comparative analysis of weekly internal and external workloads between starting and non-starting professional soccer players: A retrospective 21-week examination"],"prefix":"10.1371","volume":"19","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9409-608X","authenticated-orcid":true,"given":"Philipp","family":"Kunz","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Peter","family":"D\u00fcking","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Billy","family":"Sperlich","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"340","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,8,28]]},"reference":[{"issue":"9","key":"pone.0309475.ref001","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2343","DOI":"10.1519\/JSC.0b013e3181aeb1b3","article-title":"High-Intensity Activity Profiles of Elite Soccer Players at Different Performance Levels","volume":"24","author":"PS Bradley","year":"2010","journal-title":"J Strength Cond Res"},{"issue":"1","key":"pone.0309475.ref002","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"51","DOI":"10.1080\/17461391.2010.481334","article-title":"Comparison of physical and technical performance in European soccer match-play: FA Premier League and La Liga","volume":"11","author":"A Dellal","year":"2011","journal-title":"Eur J Sport Sci"},{"issue":"12","key":"pone.0309475.ref003","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1018","DOI":"10.1055\/s-2007-965158","article-title":"Variation in Top Level Soccer Match Performance","volume":"28","author":"E Rampinini","year":"2007","journal-title":"Int J Sports Med"},{"key":"pone.0309475.ref004","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"706451","DOI":"10.3389\/fphys.2021.706451","article-title":"Quantifying and Comparing the Match Demands of U18, U23, and 1ST Team English Professional Soccer Players","volume":"12","author":"J Reynolds","year":"2021","journal-title":"Front Physiol"},{"issue":"20","key":"pone.0309475.ref005","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1858","DOI":"10.1080\/02640414.2013.823227","article-title":"Activity profiles of professional soccer, rugby league and Australian football match play","volume":"32","author":"MC Varley","year":"2014","journal-title":"J Sports Sci"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0309475.ref006","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"351","DOI":"10.1519\/JSC.0000000000001063","article-title":"Player Load, Acceleration, and Deceleration During Forty-Five Competitive Matches of Elite Soccer","volume":"30","author":"T Dalen","year":"2016","journal-title":"J Strength Cond Res"},{"issue":"4","key":"pone.0309475.ref007","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1114","DOI":"10.1519\/JSC.0000000000001918","article-title":"Position-Specific Acceleration and Deceleration Profiles in Elite Youth and Senior Soccer Players","volume":"32","author":"JF Vigh-Larsen","year":"2018","journal-title":"J Strength Cond Res"},{"issue":"2","key":"pone.0309475.ref008","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"31","DOI":"10.3390\/sports4020031","article-title":"Heart Rate Responses during Small Sided Games and Official Match-Play in Soccer","volume":"4","author":"A. 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