UEFA ends away goal rule from next season

We will no longer lose our Latin. As mentioned for several months, the double-count away goal rule was abolished by UEFA on Thursday. From now on, the home and away matches of competitions such as the Champions League and the Europa League will only be decided by the total number of goals scored by each team. A tie will result in extra time and possibly a penalty shootout.

In force since the 1965-1966 season (at the time in the Cups), these regulations will have offered knockout matches a special thrill, and one more stake in the tactical preparation of return matches in the competitions concerned. But UEFA decided otherwise. With a view to the “modernization of football”, the European body has seen fit to put an end to an era which has nevertheless made a little salt of the round ball.

UEFA defended its small revolution, figures in support. “Statistics since the mid-1970s show a clear trend towards a continuing reduction in the gap between the number of wins for home and away teams (from 61% -19% to 47% -30%) and the average number of goals per home game compared to away goals (2.02-0.95 to 1.58-1.15) in men’s competitions“.

Forever in the annals of European football

This change in regulations is intended in particular to no longer favor the team moving to the return match, and whose away goal scored in overtime almost systematically sealed the fate of the matches.

The rule change will also apply to women’s competitions, although this time UEFA specifies that the last seasons have not shown any change between the number of goals scored at home or away (1.92 and 1.6 since 2009/2010).