UEFA stand firm on suspensions

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge: Bayern chairman believes UEFA rules should be changed

UEFA are set to ignore calls for a rule change to allow six players from Chelsea and Bayern Munich to play in the Champions League final. 

Chelsea players Branislav Ivanovic, Ramires and Raul Meireles, as well as Bayern stars Luiz Gustavo, David Alaba and Holger Badstuber will all miss the final in Munich on May 19 after picking up yellow cards in midweek.

Blues skipper John Terry is also banned after being sent off on Tuesday but it is those unavailable due to bookable offences that are the focus of international players' union FIFPro's call for clemency.
Spokesman for FIFPro, Simon Barker, said: "Anybody committing a serious offence in the semi-final should be awarded a red card and miss the final.

"But the offences that result in a yellow card do not justify the serious punishment of missing the match of your life.

"For example Alaba slipped over and gets the ball kicked against his hand - it is not right that such a player should miss the Champions League final because of this.

Nonsense

"Some people say that this will give players the license to kick all and sundry during the semi-final, but that is utter nonsense.

"Any serious offence will result in a red card and that still mean exclusion from the final."

Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has added his voice to those calling for a change in the rules.
"I'm deeply sad and sympathise greatly with three of our players who received third yellow cards and are unfortunately suspended for the final," said Rummenigge.

"The regulations need to be discussed, and probably should be changed.

"At the World Cup, yellow cards are cancelled after the group stage, but not in the Champions League.
"This is something we ought to change. But we can't change it now."

Amnesty

FIFA changed their rules for the 2010 World Cup to provide an amnesty after the quarter-finals to ensure no player could miss the final through a booking in the last four.

And UEFA are adopting the change at the forthcoming European Championships this summer.

But European football's governing body have confirmed there will be no change to the rules of this season's Champions League competition.

A UEFA spokesman said: "The regulations of the competition are established at the beginning of the competition and remain in place for the duration of the season.

"Any changes to the regulations for the future would need to be proposed by the club competitions committee and approved by the UEFA executive committee."

Source : SkySport