It's factually true. I can try and dig up studies to prove it if you like. (I think every year since the CIES started measuring distances covered the average has gone up.) It's more to do with the style of football. The press heavy more tactical game requires a constant level of running. If you think back to the 90's or early 2000's - the game was more quiet moments followed by explosive actions. (Research indicates that the number of sprints and high-intensity activities performed by players has nearly doubled over the past 20 years. A study on the English Premier League showed a 30% increase in high-intensity demands and a 35% increase in sprinting between the 2006/2007 and 2015/2016 seasons.) Whereas now it's just constant running - less breaks. Also..Most people would expect the EPL to have longer distances covered than Spanish football - but it's actually the opposite. The more tactical tikka-takka game requires more running. It's non-stop running into space.
