Real Madrid’s Champions League quarter-final clash against Arsenal may lead to new rule change to start from next season, according to reports.
Arsenal beat Real Madrid 3-0 in the first leg at home last week with the two sides set to meet at the Bernabeu on Wednesday for the second leg.
Ahead of their mouth-watering showdown in the Spanish capital, Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham has warned Arsenal ‘anything can happen’.
Real Madrid are the most successful team in Champions League history, having clinched 15 trophies, with Carlo Ancelotti’s side the current holders.
Why Real Madrid vs Arsenal is raising questions
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Before the match in Spain, it has emerged that UEFA is considering a rule change to the Champions League to begin from the 2025-26 campaign.
It comes amid criticism that Arsenal will play the pivotal second leg away from home – despite finishing ahead of Real Madrid in the league phase.
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Arsenal ended the league phase in third while Real Madrid were 11th and required a play-off win over Manchester City to even reach the last 16.
How UEFA currently schedules quarter-final ties
By finishing in the top eight of the league phase – Arsenal qualified directly for the last 16 – where they defeated PSV to reach the quarter-finals.
Under current rules, the top eight teams from the league phase are guaranteed to play their last-16 second leg matches at home.
But that goes out the window in the quarter-finals and semi-finals, with a random draw currently deciding who gets to play the second leg at home.
The random draw decided that Arsenal would play their quarter-final and possible semi-final second legs away from home for the current season.
Does playing the second leg at home really give teams an advantage?
It is widely assumed that the team playing their second leg at home has an advantage over their opponent.
But a study from Ghent University in 2019 has actually suggested that this is a myth.
Researchers in Belgium analysed 320 two-legged matches from the Champions League and Europa League between 2010 and 2017.
They found there was no evidence to suggest that the team playing their second leg at home had an advantage.
‘This second leg home advantage, if it exists, seems to be compensated for by other dynamics,’ researcher Simon Amez from Ghent University said.
What is the potential solution being considered?
According to the Daily Mail, UEFA chiefs are set to discuss a change to the current rules which would abolish the random draw for the quarter-finals and semi-finals.
It is reported that there is a ‘growing belief’ that there is not enough reward for the eight clubs who finish highest in the 36-team league phase.
This could potentially be fixed by allowing the top eight to play their last 16, quarter-final and semi-final second leg matches all at home – although a final decision has not been made just yet.
What this means for Arsenal
Nothing for this season. It’s already set in stone that Arsenal will definitely play away in the second leg if they reach this season’s Champions League semi-finals by eliminating Real Madrid.
It would all change for next season, meaning Arsenal could be rewarded if they repeat their success in the 2025-26 Champions League league phase.