Rule Change! UEFA Eases Yellow Card Suspensions in European Competitions

UEFA will announce a rule change on Wednesday.

Starting next season, players, coaches, and staff will no longer be suspended for one match after three yellow cards, but only after four. This applies to the three European club competitions.

Kompany's Criticism

Most recently, Bayern coach Vincent Kompany had voiced critical words regarding the previous approach. He described the old regulation as "too aggressive." According to him, it was "almost impossible for defensive players not to be suspended, even if they tried to play fairly," explained the coach.

Kompany himself had to watch from the stands due to a suspension last season. In the first leg of the semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain, the coach was not allowed to stand on the touchline as usual, after receiving his third yellow card against Real.

This didn't just affect him; the club had to worry about four key players before the clash with Real, as cards only expired after the quarter-finals. Following the change from the group stage to the league phase in 2024/25, teams in European competitions will be playing more often.