The Most Demanding Match Periods: Should GPS Data be Normalized for Performance and Fatigue Monitoring in Soccer?

To date, the characterization of Most Demanding Periods (MDPs) in soccer has relied almost exclusively on absolute metrics, suggesting that the peak demands currently reported in the scientific literature are inherently shaped by these fixed thresholds. This reliance on such absolute metrics may lead to an under- or overestimation of the true relative intensity experienced by each player, thus limiting the accuracy of MDPs interpretation. Therefore, exploring whether normalized thresholds alter the magnitude of MDPs across a range of time windows (1, 3 and 5 minutes) is crucial to better understand how the most demanding passages of match play manifest when player-specific capacities are considered. Consequently, the aim of the present study was to compare the MDPs derived from absolute and normalized thresholds for HSR and sprinting.