When are yellow cards wiped in the Champions League? Vinicius, Bellingham near suspension

Some have suggested that the Champions League has failed to live up to its illustrious reputation so far this season, but that looks set to change after the quarter-final draw served up four sensational fixtures. Eight of the best teams that European soccer has to offer will go head-to-head in a series of two-legged ties, with the Wembley Stadium final moving closer into view.

The margins are always fine in the knock-out stages of the Champions League. A misplaced pass or an errant touch can be fatal, a single moment of magic can transform despondency into delight. With so little to choose between these European superpowers the absence of key players can prove decisive.

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UEFA doles out suspensions for the accumulation of yellow cards, a rule that has seen many big players miss many big games over the years. We take a look at the UCL suspension rules for 2023/24 and who might be affected as we head into the quarter-finals...

When are yellow cards wiped in the Champions League?

In the UEFA Champions League, yellow cards are reset once the quarter-finals are concluded. This rule was implemented in the 2014/2015 season to prevent players from missing the Champions League final due to accumulated yellow cards, as happened to former Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso in the 2014 Lisbon final.

This means that the yellow card count is still active for the upcoming quarter-final games.

Any player who receives three yellow cards will be hit with a one-Game suspension in the Champions League. Following that initial suspension, another one-match ban will be doled out when the player reaches an odd number of bookings (five, seven, etc.). If a player receives their third (or fifth, seventh...) yellow card in the second leg of the quarter-finals and their team advances, they will be unable to play in the first leg of the semi-finals. The reset ahead of the semi-finals clears all players’ accumulated cards, making it impossible to miss the final due to accumulation.

Which players are close to a Champions League suspension?

As it stands there are several players who will be walking a disciplinary tightrope, knowing that they are just one yellow card away from a suspension. Another booking would see them miss the crucial second leg of their team’s quarter-final.

In every single team there are players who are just one mistimed challenge or ill-advised word away from a ban. Some teams, however, are in a more precarious position than other.

Barcelona lead the way with 7 players on the brink of a ban. They are followed by fellow LaLiga sides Atlético Madrid and Real Madrid, who each have four players walking a disciplinary tightrope. Los Blancos will be particularly wary, with star players Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior just one booking away from suspension.

The only player who is suspended for the first leg of the quarter-finals is Paris Saint-Germain fullback Achraf Hakimi, who received his third yellow card of the comPetition in the Round of 16. The 25-year-old will not be available to feature for the French champions in their first leg against Barcelona. PSG eased past Real Sociedad in the previous round and could be dark horses for this year’s comPetition, despite the ongoing uncertainty regarding superstar forward Kylian Mbappe’s position in the team.