Stability in post-seasonal hematological profiles in response to high-competitive match-play loads within elite top-level European soccer players: implications from a pilot study

The stability of hematological status indices is a key determinant of optimal sport performance. The capacity to monitor hematological behaviors of elite soccer players may better explain the stresses placed upon physiological systems and the potential decrements in performance and physical capacity. The primary aim of this investigation was to examine the post-seasonal hematological status of professional top-level soccer players in response to seasonal match-play and training demands, in terms of the training practices, intensity, and loadings that they experience before, during, and after each season