Following the latest round of UEFA Champions League last-16 action, we look at four things we learned from the midweek European ties.
Time to bring back away goals"
Dare we say it, but has the Champions League been a little dull this season" The first legs of the last 16 have passed and, in truth, was there anything that memorable"
While almost all of the ties are evenly poised ahead of the return legs, there feels a distinct lack of jeopardy with perhaps few expecting anyone outside a small group of clubs to truly challenge. The abolishment of the away goal rule in 2021 has removed an element of excitement that made the Champions League great, with UEFA deciding it was ‘no longer appropriate for an away goal to carry more weight than one scored at home’. Rewind to some classic Champions League ties of recent seasons and the away goals rule played its part. Andres Iniesta’s last-gasp equaliser to send Barcelona through at Chelsea (2009). Roma’s comeback against Barcelona (2018). Spurs dumping out Manchester City and Ajax after enthralling encounters (2019). Each of those games would now just head into extra-time, an often tense period of cagey football.
Of this season’s last-16 ties, Inter vs Atletico (1-0), Porto vs Arsenal (1-0), and Lazio vs Bayern (1-0) would be perfectly set up if the away goal was still in place. As it stands, the edge-of-your-seat jeopardy of past campaigns is missing.
It’s time to bring it back.

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