Home Advantage in the UEFA Champions League: A Statistical Analysis of Factors Influencing Ball-in-Play
UEFA Şampiyonlar Ligi’nde Ev Sahibi Avantajı: Topun Oyunda Kalma Süresini Etkileyen Faktörlerin İstatistiksel Analizi
İzzet İslamoğlu1 Faruk Albay2* Yıldırım Kayacan3
1Assistant Professor Faculty of Yaşar Doğu Sport Sciences University of Ondokuz Mayıs 55139, Körfez Mh. Atakum, Samsun Türkiye. Email: izzetislamoglu@gmail.com
2* Corresponding author: Faruk Albay: Faculty of Yaşar Doğu Sport Sciences University of Ondokuz Mayıs 55139, Körfez Mh. Atakum, Samsun Türkiye. Email: faruk.albay@omu.edu.tr
3Yıldırım Kayacan: Faculty of Yaşar Doğu Sport Sciences University of Ondokuz Mayıs 55139, Körfez Mh. Atakum, Samsun Türkiye. Email: kayacan@gmail.com
DOI:
Received / Gönderim: 27.02.2025 Accepted / Kabul: 20.05.2025 Published / Yayın: 30.06.2025
Abstract
Purpose: The aim of this study is to compare home and away teams in terms of technical parameters affecting ball-in-play time in UEFA Champions League matches and to analyze the impact of home advantage on goal count and match outcomes.
Method: The sample of the study consists of 138 matches played during the league phase of the 2024–2025 UEFA Champions League season. Data were obtained from the website mackolik.com, which sources its statistics from OPTA Sportsdata. Technical parameters such as total match duration, ball-in-play time, fouls, throw-ins, corners, offsides, goals, and match outcomes were analyzed. Independent samples t-tests and Chi-square tests were used for statistical analysis, with a significance level set at p<0.05.
Results: According to the findings, there were no statistically significant differences (p > 0.05) between home and away teams in terms of ball-in-play time and the technical parameters that affect it. However, home teams had significantly higher goal averages and win rates (p < 0.05). This indicates that home advantage is particularly evident in scoring and match results.
Conclusion: In high-level competitions such as the UEFA Champions League, home advantage does not manifest in technical parameters but is clearly observed in score-related outcomes. These findings provide valuable strategic insights for coaches and performance analysts, especially in preparing for away matches.
Keywords: Home-away team, UEFA Champions League, ball-in-play, football statistics, match analysis