- UEFA has voted to scrap away goals from all European club competitions
- The huge change has been implemented by UEFA with immediate effect
- Rule has been used to find a winner in two-legged ties where the score is level
- Now matches will go straight to extra time and penalties, if they are required
UEFA scraps away-goals rule from all European competitions.
The European football governing body voted to have the rule scrapped with immediate effect.
The rule, first introduced in 1965, has been used to determine the winner of two-legged knockout ties where teams had scored the same number of goals on aggregate.
Under the new directive, in matches where two teams score the same number of goals over two legs, the games will go straight to extra time and then penalties.
While making the announcement, 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.’
It is fair to say that home advantage is nowadays no longer as significant as it once was.
