UEFA consider changing controversial rule for next season’s European competitions with Arsenal suffering under current format

UEFA will consider changing the seeding rules for next season’s European competitions amid criticism that Arsenal will play the second leg of their huge Champions League quarter-final against Real Madrid away from home despite finishing ahead of them in the league table.

Current rules of the revamped competitions mean that teams that finished in the top eight are only guaranteed to play the pivotal second legs at home in the last 16.

Who would have the advantage of a home quarter-final or semi-final was decided by a random draw – with the Gunners without a home second leg for the rest of the tournament.

That left Arsenal, who finished third in the 36-team Champions League table, forced to play their quarter-final second leg against European champions Real Madrid, who finished 11th, at the Bernabeu.

Arsenal were dumped out of the competition in the quarter-final last season after losing the second leg away to Bayern Munich.

Thankfully for Mikel Arteta’s side, they take a three-goal advantage into their second leg in Madrid on Wednesday night after Declan Rice’s heroics at the Emirates.