UEFA considers removing extra time as part of proposed changes to Champions League knockout format – reports More on Tribuna.com: https://tribuna.com/en/news/2025-04-23-uefa-considers-removing-extra-time-as-part-of-proposed-changes-to-champions-league-knocko/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=zhoc&utm_campaign=cfcen?utm_source=copy

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As the semifinals of the newly structured Champions League approach, UEFA is already evaluating possible modifications for the next season. This debut year of the revised format, which includes 36 teams and a league format replacing the standard group stage, has sparked several concerns that may prompt revisions.

UEFA is currently collecting feedback from participating clubs on the updated system. The Club Competitions Committee—which counts Bayer Leverkusen’s managing director Fernando Carro among its members—is scheduled to convene on May 30 in Munich to examine potential adjustments and make suggestions to UEFA’s executive committee, headed by Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke.

According to SPORT BILD, these are some of the main changes under review:

One option being discussed is removing the 30-minute extra time in knockout matches and instead settling tied games with a penalty shootout after 90 minutes. This proposal aims to reduce the physical demands on players.

Another recommendation involves granting clubs that finish in the top eight during the league stage the advantage of playing the second leg of both the quarterfinals and semifinals at home. Right now, this perk only applies to the Round of 16, where teams higher in the league phase get to host the second leg. This idea comes in response to criticism from Arsenal, who were forced to play the second leg of their quarterfinal match at the Santiago Bernabeu against Real Madrid, despite finishing third in the league stage—eight spots above the reigning champions. Arsenal still advanced with 3-0 and 2-1 wins. Similarly, in the semifinals, Paris Saint-Germain will host the return leg even though they placed 15th in the league phase.

A third idea being evaluated is bringing back the “country protection” policy, which would stop teams from the same nation from facing off before the quarterfinals in the knockout rounds. This rule was part of the previous system but was dropped in the current one, which has already seen intra-country matchups like PSG vs. Brest, Bayern Munich vs. Bayer Leverkusen, and Real Madrid vs. Atletico Madrid occur in the playoff and Round of 16 stages. UEFA believes this rule’s return could boost the appeal of early-round fixtures for audiences and broadcasters.

Whatever UEFA decides may influence how the competition evolves, and both clubs and supporters are awaiting the official outcome of these proposed revisions.

More on Tribuna.com:

https://tribuna.com/en/news/2025-04-23-uefa-considers-removing-extra-time-as-part-of-proposed-changes-to-champions-league-knocko/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=zhoc&utm_campaign=cfcen?utm_source=copy

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