UEFA is considering the possibility of abolishing extra time in the knockout stage of the Champions League starting from next season. According to a report by "Bild," the governing body of European football is gathering opinions from clubs regarding changes to the Champions League regulations.
Currently, when there is a draw in the knockout stage after two matches, teams compete in extra time. The new proposal plans to determine the winner immediately through a penalty shootout if the score is tied. This change is expected to significantly reduce the physical burden on players.
Additionally, it is proposed to grant teams that finish in the top eight of the overall stage table the right to host second-leg matches against lower-ranked teams in all knockout stages. This rule currently only applies in the quarter-final stage.
Furthermore, the issue of separating clubs from the same country until the quarter-finals is also being discussed. The reason for this is that matches between clubs from the same country in the early stages are considered uninteresting for fans and broadcasters.
The final decision regarding the changes to the Champions League regulations may be made by the UEFA Competitions Committee at the UEFA assembly to be held in Munich on May 30.
