Authors
Josip Maleš, [1]Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Split, Split, Croatia, [2]Hotel Management and Gastronomy, University of Split, Croatia
Frane Žuvela, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Split, Split, Croatia
Nicola Luigi Bragazzi, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Laboratory for Industrial and Applied Mathematics (LIAM), York University, Toronto, Canada
Andrea De Giorgio, Department of Theoretical and Applied Sciences, Novedrate (Co), Italy
Goran Kuvačić, Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Split, Split, Croatia
International Journal of Exercise Science 18(8): 1212-1227, 2025.
DOI: 10.70252/ERIN2946
Abstract
This study aimed to examine weekly variations and within-subject relationships between internal training intensity (ITI), perceived recovery (TQR), neuromuscular performance (CMJ), and perceived muscle soreness (PMS) during a four-week preseason period in professional soccer players. Twenty-three soccer players (age 22.8 ± 4.4 years; height 182 ± 7 cm; body mass 74.6 ± 6.7 kg) classified as Tier 3 athletes from the Croatian Second Soccer League were monitored using session rating of perceived exertion, TQR scales, countermovement jump tests, and PMS questionnaires. A significant reduction in ITI and concurrent improvement in TQR scores were observed across the preseason, with the highest intensity in week 1 and the lowest recovery in week 2. CMJ height performance declined during peak fatigue but rebounded as training intensity tapered. Repeated-measures correlations revealed negative associations between weekly ITI and TQR of the following week (rrm = −0.72), and between ITI and CMJ (rrm = −0.55), indicating that greater training intensities may impair both perceptual and neuromuscular recovery. The training stimulus–recovery difference index was positively associated with next-day TQR, suggesting it may serve as a sensitive marker of session-level readiness. These findings highlight the interplay between intensity, recovery, and fatigue, emphasizing the utility of low-cost subjective and objective tools for monitoring preseason responses and guiding individualized training strategies in elite soccer settings.
Recommended Citation
Maleš, Josip; Žuvela, Frane; Bragazzi, Nicola Luigi; Giorgio, Andrea De; Kuvačić, Goran (2025) “Perceived Recovery and Muscle Fatigue in Professional Soccer Players During Preseason,” International Journal of Exercise Science: Vol. 18 : Iss. 8, Pages 1212-1227.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.70252/ERIN2946