PLAYERS ON A yellow card will have the slate wiped clean after the quarter-finals of the Champions League and Europa League following a change in UEFA’s rules.
The new rule, which comes into effect immediately, prevents a repeat of the scenario which saw Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Xabi Alonso and other high-profile names suspended for Champions League finals.
“As of this season, all yellow cards from the beginning of the group stage will expire on completion of the quarter-finals,” UEFA said yesterday.
“Bookings will therefore not be carried forward to the semi-finals,” it added.
Previously, players who picked up yellow cards went into semi-final matches knowing one more booking would see them suspended for a possible final.
Keane and Scholes famously missed Manchester United’s 1999 Champions League win after picking up bookings in the semi-final second leg and the same rule also kept Real Madrid’s Alonso out of this year’s final.
The decision was made by UEFA’s emergency panel, given that the 2014-2015 Champions League and Europa League are already under way.
– Additional reporting by AFP
