UEFA are set to shake up the Champions League and Europa League by getting rid of the away goals rule in the knockout stages.
European competition knockout stage matches have been decided by the away goal rule from as far back as 1965, when it was introduced in the UEFA Cup Winners’ Cup.
After 55 years of the rule being used in European club competitions, it looks set to be scrapped with the UEFA clubs competitions committee deciding to get rid of it.
The decision will now be taken to UEFA’s executive committee for approval and if it passed the Champions League, Europa League and new Europa Conference League will no longer use it.
NEW: UEFA clubs competitions committee decides to scrap away goals rule in European football. Now needs ExCo approval.
— Martyn Ziegler (@martynziegler) May 28, 2021
The decision to get rid of the rule will mean that games that end in a tie will all go straight to extra time and then penalties.
The rule was initially designed to get rid of the need of a third game, or play-off, when teams finished level and is meant to encourage attacking play from away teams.
This season the rule, which also included extra time, saw Porto beat Juventus in the last 16, when they had 30 minutes to get an extra goal.
Porto won the first leg 2-1 at home, with Federico Chiesa getting a late goal for Juve. The second leg in Turin was also 2-1 in the normal 90 minutes, leading to extra time.
Sergio Oliveira’s extra time free kick meant the Old Lady needed two goals in the final five minutes of the half an hour and Adrien Rabiot’s goal only meant Porto won on away goals.
Barcelona’s infamous win over Chelsea in the 2009 Champions League semi final, when Didier Drogba aimed a tirade at the referee, ended in away goals.
Andres Iniesta’s last minute goal at Stamford Bridge cancelled out Michael Essien’s opener, after the first leg ended 0-0 at the Nou Camp.