Change in away goals rule is far from unanimous in Europe

The two-weight rule for goals scored as away goals in the event of a tie is no longer in effect in Europe, but it remains a subject and divides opinion between those who are nostalgic and those who see the new format as a simpler way to understand the results.

Simpler?

European football is experiencing a small revolution with Uefa’s decision to withdraw this historic rule, introduced in 1965, at a time when continental travel was more exhausting and goals scored in the opponent’s field often revealed a good performance.

Since the start of the knockout stages of the current season’s European competitions in mid-February, fans should get used to not considering a 2-1 defeat away from home as a good result, as a 1-1 win 0 at home is no longer synonymous with classification, but with extra time.

“When the coaches were consulted, I was among the majority in favor of changing the rule, because it makes the results cleaner and more understandable,” said the coach. ChelseaThomas Tuchel.

“I never understood why a 3-1 should be a better or worse result than a 2-0”, added the coach of the defending European champions, who will visit the Little in the round of 16 return game League From champions (the English won 2-0 in the first leg).

More justice?

When the change was decided in June 2021, Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin said the two-weight for away goals was a “source of injustice”, especially in extra time, as a goal by the visiting team required the home owners to score two.

“It’s fairer to eliminate without the double value of goals in the opponent’s field”, said the coach of the Atletico MadridDiego Simeone, who will visit or Manchester United this Tuesday for the Champions League round of 16 (1-1 in the first leg).

For Gian Piero Gasperini, Atalanta coach, who defeated the Bayer Leverkusen by the Europa League at home 3-2, the new rule “changes things”.

“This new format seems fairer. It is undoubtedly more difficult, but fairer because the team that scored the most goals passes”, said Gasperini.

More spectacle?

Another argument in favor of the new rule: it promises more frank matches, with teams released from the calculator.

“It will create more suspense. More games will go into overtime,” said Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, former president of the Bayern from Munich and member of the UEFA executive committee.

A point of view shared by Thomas Tuchel.

“For now, I have the impression that this allows us to be more attacking, because we think more about attacking, being less afraid of conceding goals,” said Tuchel.

reluctant

On the other hand, some European football personalities such as the coach of LiverpoolJüergen Klopp, showed a lower adherence to change.

“For a long time throughout my life I followed the Champions League on television, more than playing in it, I liked that rule”, commented the coach.

“I don’t know exactly why they changed, but now that it doesn’t exist, everything is fine. I don’t think it will have a big impact,” Klopp added.

Massimiliano Allegri, coach of Juventusalso showed their doubts.

“Does something change? I do not know. As for the focus of a match, it doesn’t change”, evaluated the Italian.

Juventus have been eliminated from the Champions League in the last two seasons precisely because of the home goals rule: against Lyon in 2020 (lost 1-0 away and won 2-1 at home) and in 2021 for Porto (lost 2-1 away and won 3-2 at home, in extra time).