UEFA scraps away goal rule

Away goals rule scrapped in Uefa competitions including Champions League

The away goals rule in European club football is to be abolished from the start of next season, governing body Uefa has confirmed.

The rule, used since 1965, decided drawn two-legged games by favouring the team that scored the most away goals.

All ties level on aggregate at the end of the second leg will instead go to extra time and potentially penalties.

"It is no longer appropriate for an away goal to carry more weight," said Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin.

Uefa's club competitions committee made the proposal in May and it has now been approved by the body's executive committee.

It means games in the Champions League, Europa League, Europa Conference League and Women's Champions League will no longer use the rule.

Uefa says there is now a smaller gap between the number of home and away wins as well as home and away goals scored in European competitions compared to when the rule was introduced, reducing home advantage.

It says that is down to a number of factors including pitch quality, improved stadium infrastructure and new technology such as the video assistant referee.

"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," Ceferin added.

"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.

"It is fair to say that home advantage is now no longer as significant as it once was."

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/57599780

I'm 100% in favor of it being scrapped.

Did UEFA just take a decision that actually improves football ?? I must be dreaming

Ugh here comes the age of parking the bus away. A mistake imo

Terrible decision

Finally. Would have accepted just removing it in extra time.

Most people that are against it are simply because they are so used to away goals. Never made any damn sense. About time.

This rule sort of made sense since as I see it, it always used to be harder to score an away goal in front of a hostile crowd and easier to score at home with the fans behind your back. Now that stadiums are deserted thanks to Corvid, I suppose this rhetoric kinda lost its weight. The home-away contrast used to be much more noticeable.

It definitely gives an unfair advantage, especially in extra time, and although I wouldn't mind either way I'm ultimately glad that they scrapped it.

I don't like it

they should have scrapped it fpr the pandemic time, now it should have been back

It will just promote teams to sit back and defend on away games, then do the job on home ground

Whereas previously there was an incentive to scoring away

We'll see how it pans out but let me tell you this - Italian managers and teams will love this new format. It gels well with how they like to approach games, close up shop away, then go for the win at home. A fond tactic of coaches like Allegri, Mourinho, Pioli, Conte, etc. Usually dubbed as cowardice by fans.

A rule that don't make much sense. A goal away is more difficult in certain cases but never up to deserving to win in case of a draw.

I don't really mind the tactical effect, defend more away instead of home, big deal

I am on the fence about it.

But also cannot find any objective reason so leaning slowly towards the fact simply because I am so used to it, hence why Im not embracing the change right away.

Im also undecided, gonna wait to see how it goes next season what it results in and feels like when they teams actually play, we will see. However its pretty clear UEFA has decided so its gonna be that way

Kaladin wrote:It will just promote teams to sit back and defend on away games, then do the job on home ground

Whereas previously there was an incentive to scoring away

We'll see how it pans out but let me tell you this - Italian managers and teams will love this new format. It gels well with how they like to approach games, close up shop away, then go for the win at home. A fond tactic of coaches like Allegri, Mourinho, Pioli, Conte, etc. Usually dubbed as cowardice by fans.

I agree with this. There have been many brilliant second leg games due to away goals rule. What should be scraped is the away goal effect in extra time. The team who plays away on the second leg has 120 minutes to score away goals as opposed to 90 minutes for their opponent. It should be 90 minutes of away goals time for each team, then no away goal rule in 30 minutes

Yeah they should bring it back

The predictable consequence bas happened: teams park away and games are less interesting. Carlo is rightfully punished for his initiative today (or lack thereof). There was no need to change something that was not broken.

I care. Teams playing for the 0-0 is bad for the sport and the fans. At least with away goals there were harsh consequences for going with that strategy and getting it wrong.

El Gunner wrote:fuck no... who cares if teams park the bus in the first leg... make it one off matches then.

Where should the one-off match be played?

Yes bring it back
Teams playing 2nd leg at home have the advantage even more than before