UEFA is reportedly mulling over the removal of the away goal rule from the Champions League and the Europa League. Back in September 2018, a host of top European coaches including Arsene Wenger, Jose Mourinho, Unai Emery, Massimiliano Allegri, Carlo Ancelotti, Paulo Fonseca, Julen Lopetegui and Thomas Tuchel met to discuss the rule.
At the convention, Wenger, Ancelotti and Mourinho were said to be among the notable managers who were very critical of the concept. Their argument was on the grounds that the current method was not working well or did not work at all as goals have now become very easy to be scored by travelling clubs than it used to be.
The away goal rule was installed in the 1960s by football chiefs to help in deciding the winner in a two-legged tie. However, the advent of technology and the general revolution in football has rendered the policy as one that is archaic.
German publication Kicker asserts UEFA's executive committee will begin deliberations on amending the rule in a meeting that will be hosted in Rome on Wednesday. In retrospect, UEFA competition director Giorgio Marchetti admitted that a change was potentially imminent back in September 2018.
"They think that achieving away goals is not as difficult as in the past.
"So they think the rule should be reviewed and that's what we will do."
Last season, Barcelona saw its chance of securing the Champions League title dented through an away goal and AS Roma's comeback spirit. The Italians infamously progressed to the semifinal of the competition via a 4-4 aggregate scoreline after losing 4-1 at Camp Nou in the first leg.
