Champions League yellow cards: How suspensions work in the knockout stage
The murky depths of January have been mitigated...just. But, for any football lover, the conclusion of what is undoubtedly the worst month of any calendar year means one thing.
THE CHAMPIONSSSSSS!
That's right; the Champions League knockout stages are upon us, folks. We're nearly there. For those competing, the crème de la crème of club football is just a few slogs away.
In the fierce and competitive environment that is the Champions League KOs, the possibility of players breaching a law or two is an inevitability. Yellow cards will be dished out at a canter and suspensions loom large. But when is the slate wiped clean when it comes to bookings? We don't want to see the world's best absent for the biggest games because they picked up a yellow card or two.
Here's everything you need to know.
Are yellow cards wiped after the Champions League group stage?
They aren't. Instead, the slate is wiped clean after the quarter-finals. Thus, those who finished the group stage with a couple of bookings will have to walk a tightrope for the next few European bouts.
Yes, we're looking at you, Cristian Romero.
How many bookings lead to a Champions League suspension?
Players will be given a one-game suspension should they accumulate three yellow cards between Matchday 1 of the group stage and the second leg of the quarter-finals.
A straight red card also leads to a one-match suspension.
How can a player be suspended for the Champions League final?
With the slate being wiped clean after the quarter-finals, it's tough for players to earn suspensions for the final. But that's how it should be, right?
Even if a player picks up bookings in both semi-final legs, they will not be suspended for the final. The only way to miss the final is via a red card in the semi-final second leg (unless they do something which warrants a more severe punishment in the first leg).
Who is suspended?
To be suspended for the first leg of the 2022/23 Champions League last 16 ties, a player would have had to pick up their third booking of the group stage on matchday six.
- Pierre Emile Hojbjerg - Tottenham
Who is at risk of suspension?
The following players all sit on two yellow cards each and would be suspended for the second leg of their respective Champions League last 16 tie if they were to be cautioned in the first leg:
- Alessandro Bastoni - Inter
- Casper Nielsen - Club Brugge
- Clement Lenglet - Tottenham
- Conor Gallagher - Chelsea
- Eric Dier - Tottenham
- Fikayo Tomori - AC Milan
- Florentino - Benfica
- Fode Ballo-Toure - AC Milan
- Goncalo Ramos - Benfica
- Joao Mario - Benfica
- Joshua Kimmich - Bayern Munich
- Kalidou Koulibaly - Chelsea
- Kristijan Jakic - Eintracht Frankfurt
- Lautaro Martinez - Inter
- Makoto Hasebe - Eintracht Frankfurt
- Mason Mount - Chelsea
- Matteo Politano - Napoli
- Mykhailo Mudryk - Chelsea
- Noussair Mazraoui - Bayern Munich
- Gavi - Barcelona
- Rade Krunic - AC Milan
- Rodrigo Bentancur - Tottenham
- Sergio Ramos - Paris Saint-Germain
- Simon Mignolet - Club Brugge
- Tajo Buchanan - Club Brugge
- Trent Alexander-Arnold - Liverpool
Champions League 2022/23 last 16 draw
16 teams made it through the Champions League group stages to reach the knockout rounds.
Among the early favourites are current holders Real Madrid, Serie A high-flyers Napoli and European underachievers Manchester City.
- RB Leipzig vs Manchester City
- Club Brugge vs Benfica
- Liverpool vs Real Madrid
- AC Milan vs Tottenham
- Eintracht Frankfurt vs Napoli
- Borussia Dortmund vs Chelsea
- Inter vs Porto
- Paris Saint-Germain vs Bayern Munich