Can a player be suspended in the Champions League semi-final or final?

With the semi-final second legs upon us, some players have more on their mind than just this game...

Things got ever-so-slightly heated in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final between Real Madrid and Manchester City. Dani Carvajal and Jack Grealish become embroiled in a mini-battle towards the end of the half, with the Spain international shoving the former Aston Villa player into advertising boards behind the goal as they chased a loose ball. After rolling around a little, Grealish decided that he wasn’t hurt after all and stuck a hand up in the general direction of Carvajal’s face but didn’t appear to make contact. Referee Artur Dias certainly didn’t think so and play continued.

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Germans walking a Champions League suspension tightrope

Toni Kroos, however, wasn’t so fortunate moments later as the tempers showed signs of flaring in the run-up to half-time. The German clattered into compatriot Ilkay Gündogan and was became the first player to be booked for his troubles by the Portuguese whistler. Ironically, Gündogan was next to see yellow for kicking out at Carvajal in the second half.

While Carvajal and Grealish were able to carry on with their usual degree of freedom, the German midfielders were placed on a suspension tightrope for the remainder of the match but, in theory, not the tie.

In Wednesday’s first leg between AC Milan and Inter, we saw a yellow card brandished three times by the referee. Those with a booking in mind are Mkhitaryan for Inter as well as Krunik and Tomori for Milan.

What happens if players received a yellow card in the semi-final?

UEFA’s current rules mean that all players have yellow cards against their names wiped after the quarter-finals. And the whole suspension cycle changes in time for the semi-final stage, which means that the only way a player can incur a ban is if they are shown a red card. A sending-off in the first leg means they would serve a one-match ban in the second leg, but would be available again for the final.

The main danger, then, is getting a red card in the second leg of the semi-final, which would lead to being suspended for the final. More serious offences could, of course, result in a longer ban, although these are less frequent. Two yellow cards in either leg of the semi-final, however, do not incur a suspension, so Kroos and Gündogan will at least be cut some slack.

Which players have missed the Champions League final through suspension?

Under the old system, a host of top-level players have missed the Champions League final for the same reason, including Milan’s Franco Baresi in 1994, Roy Keane and Paul Scholes of Manchester United in 1999, Barcelona’s Dani Alves in 2009 and current Real Madrid star David Alaba in 2012, when he was playing for Bayern.