UEFA consider changing controversial rule for next season’s European competitions after concerns over pivotal ties for top-performing clubs
- Seeding rules could be tweaked to provide top-performing clubs with the edge
- The advantage of a home quarter or semi-final was decided in a random draw
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UEFA will consider changing the seeding rules for next season’s European competitions amid criticism that Arsenal will play the second leg of their huge Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid away from home despite finishing ahead of them in the league table.
Current rules of the revamped competitions mean that teams that finished in the top eight are only guaranteed to play the pivotal second legs at home in the last 16.
Who would have the advantage of a home quarter-final or semi-final was decided by a random draw – with the Gunners without a home second leg for the rest of the tournament.
That left Arsenal, who finished third in the 36-team Champions League table, forced to play their quarter-final second leg against European champions Real Madrid, who finished 11th, at the Bernabeu.
Arsenal were dumped out of the competition in the quarter-final last season after losing the second leg away to Bayern Munich.
Thankfully for Mikel Arteta’s side, they take a three-goal advantage into their second leg in Madrid on Wednesday night after Declan Rice’s heroics at the Emirates.
UEFA will consider changing the seeding rules for next season with Arsenal to play their second leg against Real Madrid away from home despite finishing ahead of them
Who would have the advantage of a home quarter-final or semi-final was decided by a random draw but there is a belief this does not give enough reward to clubs who top the league stage
However, they will again face an away second leg in the semi-final if they make it through to face the winner of Aston Villa and Paris Saint-Germain.
There’s a growing belief that having seeded second legs only for the last 16 does not give enough reward to the clubs who flourished in the league stage and Mail Sport understands UEFA chiefs will discuss whether to make a change for next season.
Bosses have already rejected calls to scrap extra-time in the knockout phases, despite growing concerns over player welfare in a jam-packed calendar, for fears it might result in more boring, negative football.
Uefa’s club competition committee discussed a proposal to change the rules but decided against sending any knockout games that were still level after 90 minutes straight to penalties.
They believed weaker teams would spend the closing stages of games playing for penalties instead of pushing for a winner.
Nearly 60 per cent of the Champions League knockout matches that have gone to extra time since the away goals rule was scrapped have been decided before penalties with around half in the Europa League and Conference League.
