Analysis of Game Pace and Performance Metrics of Elite Teams in the Portuguese Handball League: A Comparative Study with the EHF Champions League

by Mário Cesar Navarro News

I am excited to share with you the outcome of my research project conducted as part of the final master’s project in Big Data in Sports, organized by Sports Data Campus in partnership with the Catholic University of Murcia.

Titled ‘Analysis of Game Pace and Performance Metrics of Elite Teams in the Portuguese Handball League: A Comparative Study with the EHF Champions League,’ this study represents the culmination of months of hard work and dedication.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Anselmo Ruiz and David Fombella, two prominent figures who have been instrumental in guiding and supporting me throughout this research journey. Their expertise and mentorship have been invaluable.
I would also like to acknowledge the contributions of other professors and collaborators from the Sports Data Campus who played a crucial role in this project, including David R. Sáez Ávila, Francisco Oviedo, and Lucas Bracamonte. Their insights and guidance greatly enhanced the quality and depth of this study.
In this research, I explored the game pace and performance metrics of elite teams in the Portuguese Handball League, comparing them with the prestigious EHF Champions League. I carefully analyzed match data, including the number of goals scored, attack efficiency, defense efficiency, time of ball possession, and much more.
The results revealed interesting insights into the differences and similarities between the two competitions, as well as the key metrics that influence team performance. I found that while the game pace and goalkeeper defenses did not show significant differences, factors such as positional attack efficiency, number of goals scored, and team ranking were highly associated with performance.
I am sharing the full PDF of my work for you to access all the details and findings. Feel free to download and explore the research.
I would like to express my gratitude to the Sports Data Campus and the Catholic University of Murcia for providing the environment and resources necessary for conducting this research project. The master’s program in Big Data in Sports, under the guidance of Anselmo Ruiz and David Fombella, has provided me with a solid foundation to delve deep into the field of handball and apply advanced data analysis techniques.
I hope this study proves valuable to the handball community in Portugal and beyond. Its findings can inform training and preparation strategies while inspiring future research in the field of Big Data in Sports.

If you have any questions or comments about the study, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I am open to discussions and exchanging ideas.

Thank you for your interest and continued support!

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Author Profile

Mário Cesar Navarro
Portuguese handball coach with over 15 years of experience coaching both male and female youth and senior teams. Passionate about game analysis and coaching.