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Keane's inspirational performance against Juventus guided United to the 1999 Champions League final -- but he missed out because of a second yellow card. EMPICS Sport

UEFA changes the rule that saw Roy Keane miss the 1999 Champions League final

Bookings will no longer be carried forward to the semi-finals of the Champions League and Europa League, UEFA said.

PLAYERS ON A yellow card will have the slate wiped clean after the quarter-finals of the Champions League and Europa League following a change in UEFA’s rules.

The new rule, which comes into effect immediately, prevents a repeat of the scenario which saw Roy Keane, Paul Scholes, Xabi Alonso and other high-profile names suspended for Champions League finals.

“As of this season, all yellow cards from the beginning of the group stage will expire on completion of the quarter-finals,” UEFA said yesterday.

“Bookings will therefore not be carried forward to the semi-finals,” it added.

Previously, players who picked up yellow cards went into semi-final matches knowing one more booking would see them suspended for a possible final.

Keane and Scholes famously missed Manchester United’s 1999 Champions League win after picking up bookings in the semi-final second leg and the same rule also kept Real Madrid’s Alonso out of this year’s final.

The decision was made by UEFA’s emergency panel, given that the 2014-2015 Champions League and Europa League are already under way.

– Additional reporting by AFP

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    Mute ronan murray
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    Jul 18th 2014, 10:04 AM

    Means more last ditch takles in the semis then

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    Mute David Larkin
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    Jul 18th 2014, 10:12 AM

    Emergency panel what a laugh!

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    Mute Mark Lillis
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    Jul 18th 2014, 10:38 AM

    Why not increase it to 3 yellows before ban or any yellow gets wiped after 2 further games without yellow. The range of offences that warrant yellows is so wide that players often miss games for very minor offences.

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    Mute Anthony Ryan
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    Jul 18th 2014, 10:25 AM

    Any chance of a citing commissioner in all top level matches to take retrospective action on diving and foul play? It’s the only way to stop diving as it is so difficult for a referee to get right in real time.

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    Mute Dave Sharp
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    Jul 18th 2014, 10:20 AM

    Stupid, stupid, stupid change!!!

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    Mute Michael Kehoe
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    Jul 18th 2014, 5:41 PM

    I thought this was the beginning of your autobiography when I started reading….

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    Mute Irishoversea
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    Jul 18th 2014, 1:18 PM

    Pavel Nedved another great who missed a final through this stupid rule about time the charge was brought in..

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    Mute Luke McDermott
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    Jul 18th 2014, 11:19 AM

    Should DEMAND a prepay so ROY KEANE can play in a final!!!

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    Mute Luke McDermott
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    Jul 18th 2014, 11:19 AM

    *replay

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    Mute Ross Toal
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    Jul 18th 2014, 10:38 AM

    Silly change. Just watch the amount of petulant fouls that will occur by players safe in the knowledge they won’t miss the final.

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