UEFA Considers Removing Extra Time as Part of Proposed Changes to Champions League Knockout Format – Reports

With the newly reformatted Champions League reaching its crucial semi-final stage, UEFA, European football’s governing body, is already engaged in discussions about potential changes to the competition’s structure for the upcoming season. The current season marks the debut of a significant overhaul, featuring 36 clubs and a league system replacing the traditional group stage. This new format, while aiming to enhance the competition, has also brought forth several points of contention, prompting UEFA to consider further adjustments.

UEFA is actively seeking feedback and opinions from clubs across Europe regarding the implementation of the new format. To facilitate this process and deliberate on potential modifications, the UEFA Club Competitions Committee is scheduled to convene on May 30 in Munich. This committee, which includes prominent figures such as Bayer Leverkusen’s managing director Fernando Carro, will play a crucial role in shaping the future of the Champions League.

Following their discussions, the Club Competitions Committee will formulate proposals and recommendations, which will then be presented to UEFA’s executive committee. This executive body, led by Borussia Dortmund’s CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke, will ultimately make the final decisions regarding any changes to the Champions League format.

According to reports, several key changes are under consideration, each with the potential to significantly impact the way Champions League knockout stage matches are decided and how teams are rewarded for their performance in the league phase.

One of the most notable proposals involves a potential change to the knockout rounds. UEFA is reportedly considering abolishing the 30-minute extra time period that currently follows drawn matches. Instead, if a match remains tied after the initial 90 minutes of regulation play, the winner would be determined directly through a penalty shootout.

The rationale behind this proposed change is primarily to mitigate the physical strain and demands placed on players. With an increasingly congested football calendar and concerns about player welfare, UEFA aims to reduce the likelihood of players being pushed to their physical limits in extended periods of play.

Another significant suggestion involves modifying the way home advantage is awarded in the knockout stages. Currently, clubs that finish higher in the league phase of the competition receive the benefit of playing the return leg of their Round of 16 ties at their home stadium.

UEFA is now considering extending this benefit to the quarter-finals and semi-finals as well. The proposal suggests that clubs that finish in the top eight of the league phase should be granted home advantage for the return leg of their quarter-final and semi-final matchups.

This proposal has emerged, in part, due to criticism from clubs like Arsenal. In the current season, Arsenal, despite finishing third in the league phase – a significant eight places ahead of defending champions Real Madrid – were required to play the return leg of their quarter-final tie at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Despite facing this disadvantage, Arsenal demonstrated their strength by winning the tie with an impressive aggregate scoreline. However, the experience highlighted the potential imbalance in the current system, prompting calls for reform.

Similarly, in the upcoming semi-finals, Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) will have the advantage of playing the return leg at home, despite finishing 15th in the league phase. This situation further underscores the need for a more equitable distribution of home advantage based on performance in the league phase.

In addition to changes to extra time and home advantage, UEFA is also contemplating the reinstatement of the “country protection” rule. This rule, a feature of the Champions League’s previous format, aimed to prevent clubs from the same country from facing each other in the earlier knockout rounds.

Under the previous system, teams from the same nation could not meet until the quarter-final stage. However, the new format has already seen domestic clashes in the playoffs and Round of 16, such as PSG vs. Brest, Bayern Munich vs. Bayer Leverkusen, and Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid.

UEFA believes that reinstating the “country protection” rule would enhance the appeal of the early knockout stages for both fans and television broadcasters. By ensuring a greater variety of matchups, the competition could attract a wider audience and generate more excitement.

The decisions made by UEFA in the coming months have the potential to reshape the future of the Champions League. Clubs across Europe, as well as millions of fans worldwide, are eagerly awaiting the final verdict on these proposed changes, which could usher in a new era for the competition.