DUBAI: So long away goals rule, you will be missed. Though not by everyone.
Last week UEFA split opinion among football fans when it abolished the law that has been deciding drawn ties in its competitions for the last 56 years.
Wherever you stand on the merits of the rule, first brought into the European Cup Winners Cup in 1965, and the European Cup (now Champions League) a year later, there is little doubt that it has been responsible for some incredible knockout drama over the years.
Here we look at five of the most memorable away goal victories from Europe’s top club competition, on the condition that the deciding away goal had to come, naturally, in the second leg, late in the match and be the last of the tie.
5. Cruyff and Barcelona dodge elimination on way to creating a dynasty
Kaiserslautern 3-1 Barcelona (3-3 on aggregate, Barcelona advance)
Second round, European Cup 1991-92 
Nov. 6, 1991
This tie took place in the last season before the European Cup was rebranded into the Champions League, and Barcelona, who incredibly at that point had yet to win Europe’s biggest trophy, went to Germany having beaten Kaiserslautern 2-0 in the first leg at Camp Nou with goals from Aitor “Txiki” Begiristain.
However, Johan Cruyff’s team were blown away by the German champions who led 3-0 with three minutes to go. Then up stepped Spanish international Jose Mari Bakero to score one of the most priceless goals in the club’s history.
Without that away goal, there would have been no first European Cup for Barca at Wembley, probably no “Dream Team” legacy, and who knows how the subsequent careers of Pep Guardiola, and later down the line, Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta and Lionel Messi might have played out.
It doesn’t bear thinking about.
4. Tottenham stun Manchester City in VAR classic
Man City 4-3 Tottenham  (4-4 on aggregate, Tottenham advance)
Quarter-final, Champions League 2018-19
April 17, 2019
This was one of the most dramatic and controversial Champions League ties of recent years.
Tottenham went to the Etihad Stadium with a 1-0 lead from the first leg. After four minutes of the second leg, the London club were 1-0 down, with Raheem Sterling opening the scoring. But inspired by the brilliant Son Heung-min, Tottneham found themselves 2-1 up after 10 minutes. A minute later the game was equalized at 2-2, and by halftime Tottenham were 3-2 down.
Still, that would have been enough to see Mauricio Pochettino’s team through on away goals.
When Sergio Aguero scored a trademark goal on the hour, things again looked bleak for Tottenham, until substitute Fernando Llorente scored with what looked like a handball on 73 minutes. After VAR consultation, the goal stood, and Tottenham were heading to the semifinals.
But that was the least of the drama. Deep into injury time, Raheem Sterling scored what appeared to be a sensational winner, sending Pep Guardiola, his players and the fans wild.
Once again, VAR intervened, this time disallowing the goal for offside.
Llorente’s away goal had, after all, won it for Spurs. And if you think this memorable quarter-final win deserves a higher placing on the list, you probably don’t remember what Tottenham did in the semifinal.
3. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s finest hour rewarded with full-time role
Paris Saint-Germain 1-3 Manchester United (3-3 on aggregate, Manchester United advance)
Round of 16, Champions League 2018-19
March 6, 2019
“Man United might not thank me, but get the contract out, put it on the table, let him sign it, let him write whatever numbers he wants on there given what he’s done since he’s come in, let him sign the contract. Ole’s at the wheel man, he’s doing it, he’s doing his thing, Man United are back,” Rio Ferdinand famously said minutes after interim boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer — who had replaced Jose Mourinho earlier in the season — had masterminded an astonishing European comeback against Paris Saint-Germain.
An injury-hit Manchester United had lost 2-0 to Neymar’s team in the first leg at Old Trafford, and not many gave them a chance in the return match in Paris.
But no one snatches defeat from the jaws of victory quite like PSG.
Within two minutes they had halved the deficit through Romelu Lukaku, but Juan Bernat restored PSG’s two-goal advantage on 12 minutes. Lukaku scored again on the half-hour mark to set up a tense second half.
And the longer it went on the more tense the home team became, knowing a goal will turn a win into defeat.
In the final minute, Diogo Dalot’s shot struck Presnel Kimpembe and was deflected for a corner, or so it seemed. But after several minutes of checking the VAR screen, Slovenian referee Damir Skomina pointed to the penalty spot. On the touchline, the injured Neymar looked on disbelievingly.
Marcus Rashford calmly converted the penalty to ensure progress to the quarter-finals. And more than likely confirmed Solskjaer’s role as full-time Manchester United manager.
2. Chelsea rage as Iniesta’s last-gasp equalizer ushers in age of Barcelona dominance 
Chelsea 1-1 Barcelona (1-1 on aggregate, Barcelona advance)
Semi-final, Champions League 2008-09
May 6, 2009
It is a match that has gone down in infamy. The mere mention of this night at Stamford Bridge is guaranteed to send Chelsea fans into fits of rage.
The first leg at Camp Nou had ended in a goalless draw and Chelsea knew they would be facing Messi and co. with the threat of an away goal hanging over them all night.
But the home team took the lead with a stunning volley by Michael Essien after only nine minutes and spent the rest of the night pushing their penalty claims, some of which were strong; others less so. None were given.
In the 93rd minute, the inevitable happened, Andres Iniesta, one year away from scoring the winning goal in the World Cup final, struck an unstoppable volley from Lionel’s Messi’s pass past Petr Cech to crush Chelsea’s hopes.
Even then, the controversy was not over, with a fourth penalty appeal turned down in the final seconds of stoppage time.
At the final whistle, Chelsea players had to be restrained from confronting Norwegian referee Tom Henning Øvrebø, who also received death threats from hysterical supporters.
For Pep Guardiola and Barcelona, world domination beckoned.
1. Tottenham and Lucas Moura pull off miracle comeback in Amsterdam
Ajax 2-3 Tottenham (3-3 on aggregate, Tottenham advance)
Semi-final, Champions League 2018-19
May 8, 2019
Where to start with this tie?
A truly astonishing match, and one that fans of the away goals rule will hold up as the definitive proof of its worth.
A young, vibrant Ajax team had gone to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and won 1-0, though it could have been more.
Tottenham’s difficult task looked to have become impossible after a harrowing first half in the second leg in Amsterdam. Ajax captain Matthijs De Ligt scored with a header after only five minutes, and half an hour later, Hakim Ziyech scored a brilliant second strike to put the four-time champions three goals up, and practically in the final at the Wanda Metropolitano stadium in Madrid.
The next 45 minutes turned out to be the most dramatic in Tottenham’s history, thanks to Lucas Moura.
The Brazilian started an inconceivable comeback with a left-footed finish on 55 minutes to remind the already-celebrating Ajax fans that this could still turn into an uncomfortable night. Four minutes later, he took advantage of some shocking defending by a seemingly rattled home team to equalize on the night.
Tottenham remained 3-2 down on aggregate but now, one more away goal would be enough to ensure progress to a first-ever Champions League final. Ajax kept going forward in the hope of killing the tie off, and could have done so when Ziyech struck the post with 10 minutes left.
When Jan Vertonghen’s header hit the bar with three minutes left, it looked like Tottenham’s last chance had gone. But the five minutes of added time proved miraculous.
A final, desperate long pass from Moussa Sissoko in the 95th minute was eventually flicked on by Dele Alli to Moura, who scored with a carbon copy of his first goal of the night. Cue delirium among Tottenham fans and players.
In one moment, defeat was turned into victory, the impossible achieved. Thanks to that priceless away goal.