Some key questions about tiredness and resting players

[MatchWinner]

While playing recently I've been wondering about one or two details related to player tiredness and when it is advisable to rest players. If anyone with a little more knowledge could enlighten me I'd be very grateful.

If I rest players before a match is there any sort of performance penalty (lack of sharpness due to lack of training, etc) or does it purely affect attribute development? i.e am I right in thinking that it is far far better to rest the players the day before a big match like a CL final and get them to 100% fitness rather than risk the extra tiredness for the sake of a tiny amount of attribute growth?

Secondly I'm struggling to find a way of keeping my players condition up once I'm securely ahead in a match. I try all of the seemingly obvious touchline instructions -like shorter passing, retain possession, work ball into box, lower tempo, take a breather - but by the end of the match the players still seem to be just as tired as if I hadn't bothered. How can I keep my players from getting too tired?

Thanks in advance

[HUNT3R]

I'll answer your first question - Training only affects attributes, apart from Match Prep training. So if you don't train before a match, there won't be negative effects like lack of sharpness etc.

[MatchWinner]

I'll answer your first question - Training only affects attributes, apart from Match Prep training. So if you don't train before a match, there won't be negative effects like lack of sharpness etc.

Thanks for that, just what I needed to hear

Yeah, my second question is perhaps tougher to answer. Perhaps I'm expecting too much stamina to be saved by those match instructions??? Even so, I'd expect some sort of noticeable difference.

[HUNT3R]

Players will lose condition regardless. By applying the instructions you do, they'll run less, so theoretically lose fewer condition % points. Closing Down will be key too. As will keeping the ball and not having to concentrate and defend all the time.