Europe’s Football Governing body, UEFA is considering scrapping extra time from Champions League knockout rounds.
This is in a bid to reduce the number of minutes played by top clubs.
The Guardian reports that subsequently matches could now go straight to penalties in case of a draw
However, a change midway into this TV rights cycle, which runs until 2027, is unlikely.
Extra time has long been a point of contention among European football’s stakeholders, amid arguments that players’ welfare need to be taken into consideration.
This season, UEFA has introduced the expanded group stage for the Champions League, with each team playing a minimum of eight games.
Later in the summer, 12 European clubs will participate in an expanded FIFA Club World Cup in the US which the players claim it’s tiring
Last season just three Champions League fixtures from the last 16 onwards went into extra time, while none at all required an additional period in 2022-23.
Four matches in the 2023-24 Europa League went the distance, down from six the season before.
(Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe)
