European football’s governing body, UEFA, has changed the rules on yellow cards making it harder for players to miss the UEFA Champions League and Europa League finals through suspension.
Real Madrid’s Xabi Alonso missed out on last season’s Champions League final in Lisbon after being booked in the semi final against Bayern Munich.
Now UEFA has announced that all yellow cards will be wiped off after the quarter finals.
A UEFA statement read: “Following a recommendation by the UEFA Club Competitions Committee – in order to implement in UEFA club competitions a rule which is already in force in the UEFA European Football Championship – the Emergency Panel decided that, as of this season, all yellow cards from the beginning of the group stage will expire on completion of the quarter-finals. Bookings will therefore not be carried forward to the semi-finals.”
