Champions League: Sepp Blatter wants away goals rule reviewed

FIFA president Sepp Blatter has called for the away goals rule in the Champions League and Europa League to be reviewed.

Blatter wants the system - where the team who has scored the most goals away from home wins the tie if the scores are level after two legs - that has been used since 1965 in European competition and still applies in the Champions League and Europa League to be looked at.

He thinks the rule favours teams playing away from home in the second leg because those games can go to extra-time, meaning more time to score an away goal.

Such an imbalance has already been disposed of in various competitions. The away goals rule is no longer used in the semi-finals of the promotion playoffs in English football.

In his column in the FIFA Weekly magazine, the Swiss said: "It is time to rethink the system. Football has progressed since the 1960s, so the away goals rule may now be questioned. Does the away goals rule still make sense?

"The idea dates back to a time when away games were often an adventure, involving journeys that could be long and arduous - and the playing conditions would vary considerably.

"In reality, it favours the club that play away from home in the second leg. Where the scores are tied, that team has 30 minutes more than their opponent to score a valuable away goal. After all, in the first leg there is no extra-time.

"Such an imbalance has already been disposed of in various competitions. The away goals rule is no longer used in the semi-finals of the promotion playoffs in English football."

Blatter has suggested a modification could be used - like they do in the MLS playoffs in the USA and in the CONCACAF Champions League - where away goals only count 'double' at the end of normal time in the second leg and not in extra-time.