Context is Key: The Effect of Match-Related Variables on Technical and Physical Performance of the UEFA Champions League Goalkeepers

The majority of studies investigating contextual variables (CV) and match performance (MP) excluded goalkeepers, limiting insights into CV effects on goalkeepers’ MP. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate goalkeepers' MPs according to CV. Data were collected from all UEFA Champions League (UCL) matches during the season 2022/23. The MPs, including physical and technical performance, were classified according to the match outcome, match location, team quality, and opponent quality. When winning, goalkeepers faced less shots against (Cohen’s d (d) = 1.39), had less conceded goals (d = 2.13) and more exits (d = 0.37), and made less saves (d = 0.52) and reflex saves (d = 0.50) than when losing. When played at home, goalkeepers had less conceded goals (d = 0.23) and exits than when playing away (d = 0.25). When played in high-quality level teams, goalkeepers had less conceded goals (d = 0.48), total (d = 0.35) and accurate passes beyond own third (d = 0.35), saves (d = 0.42) and reflex saves (d = 0.33) than when played in low-quality level teams. When played against high-quality level opponents, goalkeepers had more conceded goals (d = 0.48), passes beyond own third (d = 0.28), shots against (d = 0.67), saves (d = 0.55), reflex saves (d = 0.57) than when played against low-quality level opponents. These findings demonstrated that UCL goalkeepers’ technical performance was influenced by match outcome, teams’ and opponents’ quality levels. Therefore, CV should be taken into account in decision-making processes for structuring elements of training and subsequent match preparation.