European Cups: UEFA changes regulations to reduce number of suspended players during finals

"All yellow cards from the beginning of the group stage will expire on completion of the quarter-finals" in European competitions starting in 2014-15, the Emergency Panel of UEFA (Union of European Football Associations) announced on 17/07/2014. "Bookings will therefore not be carried forward to the semi-finals," said UEFA.

Until the end of 2013-14, a player could be suspended from a subsequent fixture beginning in the group phase of European competitions after receiving three yellow cards in three different games, or after being sent off (two yellow cards in the same game or one straight red card). The yellow cards and suspensions were not erased at any point during the competition.

The decision made by UEFA's Emergency Panel, following a recommendation by the UEFA Club Competitions Committee, aims to limit the number of players suspended in the finals of the Champions League or the Europa League.

The new rule, which will apply from 2014-15 onwards in UEFA interclubs competitions, was used by the European federation for the Euro 2012 hosted in Ukraine and Poland.