Uefa said the away goals rule will be scrapped from all UEFA club competitions from the start of the 2021-22 season, the governing body has confirmed.
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin revealed the decision was not unanimous, but admitted there was a preference to change the rule after its “fairness” was questioned.
The away goals rule has been an intrinsic part of UEFA competitions since it was introduced in 1965,” Ceferin said.
With the move applying to all UEFA men’s, women’s and youth competitions, Ceferin said the change could lead to more attack-minded ties.
Ceferin added: “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. Taking into consideration the consistency across Europe in terms of styles of play, and many different factors which have led to a decline in home advantage, the UEFA Executive Committee has taken the correct decision in adopting the view that it is no longer appropriate for an away goal to carry more weight than one scored at home.”
