Will away goals count in the Arsenal vs Bayern Munich Champions League tie? This is what we know |
Arsenal have a break from the Premier League title race this week as attention turns to the Champions League. Having returned to the top of the table, the Gunners now find themselves in the quarter-finals of the Champions League when they face German giants Bayern Munich in a two-legged tie.
The first of those two matches will take place at the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night (kick-off at 8pm). The second leg will be played just over a week later at the Allianz Arena.
If Arsenal beat Bayern Munich, they will face either Real Madrid or Manchester City in the semi-final, with the first leg being played later this month. A feature of Champions League qualifiers over the years has been the away goals rule.
The system was applied when the total scores were level after both matches. According to the rule, the team that scored the most away goals advanced to the next phase.
If the two teams were tied, then overtime and perhaps even a penalty shootout would be used. However, there has been a different rule in recent seasons.
Here's everything you need to know about the away goal rule and whether it will be in place.
Will the away goals rule apply to Arsenal vs Bayern Munich?
No, the away goals rule has not been used in any UEFA club competition since the start of the 2021/22 season. Therefore, it will not be used in Arsenal's quarter-final match against Bayern Munich.
What happens if the score is tied after both games?
Without the away goals rule, if the overall score in both matches is equal, extra time will be played. If the two teams still cannot be separated after the extra half hour, a penalty shootout will be used to determine who advances to the semi-final.
Why was the rule removed?
According to UEFA, the decline in home advantage from the 1970s “blurred the line” between playing at home and away. It was concluded that the rule only caused the home teams to defend in the first leg for fear of conceding a crucial away goal.
UEFA president Alexander Ceferin said: “The impact of the rule now goes against its original purpose as it, in effect, now deters home teams – especially in first legs – from attacking, because They fear conceding a goal that would give their opponents a decisive advantage. The injustice, especially in extra time, of forcing the home team to score twice when the visiting team has already scored is also criticized.
“It's fair to say that home advantage these days is no longer as important as it once was. Taking into account the consistency across Europe in terms of playing styles and many different factors that have led to a decrease in home advantage, the UEFA Executive Committee has made the correct decision in adopting the view that It is not appropriate to play away from home. The goal has more weight than one scored at home.”
