The Arsenal icon was speaking on CBS following an electrifying 3-3 draw between Inter Milan and Barcelona in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday—a club with whom he lifted the trophy during his playing days.
Playing at home, Barcelona had to battle back after conceding two early goals in the first half. ..Continue Reading
Inter struck first through Marcus Thuram in the opening minute before Netherlands international Denzel Dumfries added two more, which became the focus of Henry’s criticism.
During his post-match analysis alongside presenter Kate Scott and fellow former Premier League defenders Jamie Carragher and Micah Richards, Henry expressed frustration over a UEFA rule change introduced in 2021.
According to the former French international, the semi-final clash would have looked entirely different had the previous regulations still been in place.
“It’s been like that for a very long time and we have to accept it but off-air I was talking to Jamie and I’m like ‘How can you score three goals away from home and you don’t have an advantage?'” rattled Henry.
Before 2021, UEFA competitions used the away goals rule to decide two-legged ties when teams were level after both matches.
The side that had scored more goals away from home would advance without the need for extra time or penalties. Had this rule still been in place, Inter would be in a commanding position.
“Away goals for me were massive,” continued Arsenal’s all-time leading scorer.
“[But to] score three goals away and you still don’t have an advantage, I mean, [you would need] a 0-0 at home.
“But like I said, look, I didn’t think that Inter Milan was going to perform they way that they did just because of how they played recently.
“So you have to give them a lot of credit for matching up what Barcelona gave them.”
One could argue that Inter are at a disadvantage due to the removal of the away goals rule after the first leg, but they likely wouldn’t mind if the second leg ended in a 4-4 draw.
Previously, the rule was often seen as disproportionately favoring the team playing the second leg at home, giving them a strategic edge.
UEFA ultimately scrapped the away goals rule after six decades because its effect on matches had shifted, leading to the opposite of its original intent.
Rather than encouraging attacking play, home teams in the first leg often prioritized keeping a clean sheet, aiming to secure a score draw in the return fixture.
While it’s uncertain how Barcelona might have approached the first leg under the old rule, history suggests the game would have been far more defensively oriented.
Inter may still have netted three goals and gained a considerable advantage—or perhaps not—but before Wednesday’s clash, few were actively discussing the impact of the abolished rule, despite years of debate preceding its removal.
