Neuromuscular and Subjective Recovery Responses to Day and Night Fixtures During Congested and Noncongested...

Mukandi, I, Turner, A, Bishop, C, Beato, M. Neuromuscular and subjective recovery responses to day and night fixtures during congested and noncongested microcycles in professional soccer players. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2026-This study investigated and compared the impact of day and night fixtures during congested and noncongested microcycles on countermovement jump (CMJ) performance and subjective self-reported measures 40 hours postcompetitive match play in professional soccer players. Twenty-eight players completed CMJ baseline assessment during preseason. Assessment 40 hours postmatch was limited to players who played ≥60 minutes. Baseline measures for subjective self-reported measures were collected 24 hours prematch. Congested microcycles were classified as 3-5 days between fixtures and noncongested microcycles ≥7 days between fixtures. Across all 4 fixture contexts, significant reductions (p < 0.05) with small-to-moderate effects (δ = -0.47 to 0.30) were observed for all CMJ metrics, except for eccentric mean force that showed nonsignificant, trivial effects for congested microcycles and night fixtures. Statistically significant reductions in sleep quality, mood, muscle soreness, and a composite score of all 3 measures were observed for both congested and noncongested microcycles as well as day fixtures (p < 0.05) (δ = -0.59 to 0.11). For night fixtures, nonsignificant changes were observed for sleep quality and mood. No significant differences were observed between day and night fixtures as well as congested and noncongested microcycles for all CMJ metrics. For subjective self-reported measures, significant trivial to small differences with a bias toward night fixtures were observed for muscle soreness, mood, and composite score. No significant differences were observed among the global positioning system metrics between congested and noncongested microcycles. Significant differences were observed between high-speed running and sprint distance between day and night fixtures with a bias toward day fixtures, while nonsignificant differences were found for total distance, distance per minute, accelerations, and decelerations. Monitoring both objective and subjective self-reported measures provides a holistic approach to understanding player fatigue and recovery, allowing for informed decision making in congested periods.