Thierry Henry Urges UEFA To Bring Back Away Goals Rule In UCL
Thierry Henry has urged UEFA to reconsider the away goals rule following a thrilling 3-3 draw between Barcelona and Inter Milan in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final encounter.......➡️CONTINUE READING THE FULL ARTICLES HERE.
The Champions League match showcased a dynamic performance from the visitors, highlighted by a superb brace from Denzel Dumfries after Marcus Thuram had opened the scoring with an early goal.
Despite the excitement, Barcelona managed to level the tie with impressive strikes from teenager Lamine Yamal and forward Ferran Torres, alongside an unfortunate own goal from Inter’s goalkeeper Yann Sommer.
As a result, the contest remains balanced going into the second leg at the San Siro next week.
Henry, who famously lifted the Champions League trophy with Barcelona in 2009, expressed his belief that Inter’s three away goals should merit special recognition and an advantage in the overall matchup.
“I understand that the away goals rule has been phased out for some time now, and we must accept that change. However, during a discussion off-air with Jamie (Carragher), I asked myself, ‘How can you score three goals away from home and not gain an advantage?’” Henry remarked during a segment on CBS Sports.
“To me, away goals were monumental in their significance. When you net three goals on the road, yet still find yourself on level ground as if it were 0-0 at home, it seems unjust.
“That being said, I was quite surprised by Inter Milan’s performance, especially given their recent form leading up to the match. They deserve credit for rising to the occasion and matching Barcelona’s intensity throughout the game. Honestly, I didn’t see that level of performance coming.”
Note that the away goals rule which was introduced in 1965, was officially abolished in 2021 by UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin’s ongoing regime.
On why the away goal rule had to be stopped, Ceferin explained: “The rule, which was meant to encourage attacking football, has ironically had the opposite effect.
“It has disheartened home teams, particularly in the first leg of matches, from adopting an aggressive approach due to the fear of conceding a goal that would provide their opponents with a critical advantage.
“There have also been valid complaints regarding its implications during extra time, where it seems unreasonable to require the home team to score twice simply because the away team has scored once.”