UEFA confirms major Champions League change that will affect Liverpool, Man City, Man United, and Chelsea.
Next season’s Champions League campaign could have a different dimension after UEFA confirmed they have removed the away goals rule from European competition.
The UEFA Executive Committee on Thursday endorsed the plan to scrap the ruling – which was first introduced in 1965 – following the advice of the UEFA Club Competitions Committee and the UEFA Women’s Football Committee.
The away goals rule had been applied to determine the winner of a two-legged knockout tie in the case where both teams were level on aggregate at the end of the two matches.
The team that scored the highest number of away goals would qualify, with a 30-minute extra period being played in the second leg if the teams were level on aggregate with the same number of away goals scored. A penalty shoot-out was then used to resolve the winner if no further goals were scored.
Under the new rules, if the aggregate score is level after the second leg then extra time will be played notwithstanding of the number of away goals scored, with penalties then taken if needed to separate the teams.
The away goals rule has met with growing criticism in recent years, not least by Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone who maintained it was “unfair” his side had half-an-hour extra to score an away goal in their 3-2 Champions League win at Liverpool in March 2020.
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“What I have to say, and will be saying at the next UEFA coaches’ meeting, is what I think is unfair,” said Simeone.
“Today was unjust because we had 30 minutes of extra time to score three away goals. Liverpool never had that. We had 30 more minutes to score an away goal and Liverpool didn’t. That’s not fair.”
Expounding on the abolishment of the away goals rule, UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin said: “The away goals rule has been an intrinsic part of UEFA competitions since it was introduced in 1965.
“However, the question of its abolition has been debated at various UEFA meetings over the last few years. Although there was no unanimity of views, many coaches, fans and other football stakeholders have questioned its fairness and have expressed a preference for the rule to be abolished.
“The impact of the rule now runs counter to its original purpose as, in fact, it now dissuades home teams – especially in first legs – from attacking, because they fear conceding a goal that would give their opponents a crucial advantage. There is also criticism of the unfairness, especially in extra time, of obliging the home team to score twice when the away team has scored.”
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UEFA confirms major Champions League change that will affect Liverpool, Man City, Man United, and Chelsea.
