AZ Alkmaar will not come as a surprise by becoming champion of the Netherlands. Ajax Amsterdam will not win a second title in a row with its golden generation. The two clubs led the Eredivisie when it was interrupted due to the coronavirus crisis. This Friday, the Dutch Football Federation (KNVB) officially ended the 2019-2020 championship without naming the champion. There will also be no promotion or relegation.
The Netherlands are thus the first member country of UEFA (European Football Union) to put an end to its championship. "Unfortunately, given the measures [to ban mass gatherings] taken by the government, it has become impossible to end the 2019-2020 season," said a press release from the KNVB.
Ajax qualified for the Champions League, Alkmaar for the preliminary rounds
“Public health always comes first. This is only a football problem given what coronavirus causes in society. Nevertheless, the professional football committee is aware that today's decisions will cause great disappointment in football for some, "added the press release from the KNVB.
Ajax Amsterdam, Eredivisie leader on equal points with AZ Alkmaar (but with a better goal difference), will be qualified for the group stage of the next C1, according to KNVB which will however await a final decision on this subject. from UEFA on 25 May. Alkmaar should go through the last two preliminary rounds to enter this group stage of the Champions League.
According to the frozen ranking at the end of the 26th day (out of 34) disputed on March 8, Feyenoord Rotterdam, PSV Eindhoven and Willem II Tilburg, will compete in the next edition of the Europa League.
Belgium should make the same decision on Monday
A decision will be taken in consultation with UEFA, according to a source close to the KNVB which confided in AFP. The decision to permanently stop the championship seemed inevitable following the decision taken last week by the Dutch government to ban (even behind closed doors) all so-called "mass" demonstrations before 1 September.
The Dutch Federation is the first to take this decision among the other UEFA members. Monday, the Belgian Federation should take the same decision.
Legal actions of injured clubs
The KNVB has also decided, after a day of consultation with professional clubs on Friday, to start the next season with the same 18 clubs already in competition this year in Eredivisie. This means that ADO The Hague and RKC Waalwijk (yet in a relegationary position at the time of the championship freeze) will remain among the elite while SC Cambuur and De Grafschaap (leaders in D2) will not be promoted.
"There will be neither relegation nor promotion", according to the KNVB which will have to face legal actions from clubs which would feel injured, as already announced by Cambuur and De Graafschap, just like FC Utrecht who could still claim a European qualification.
The KNVB also wanted the European premiums of clubs qualified for the Champions League and the Europa League to be shared between all the clubs in Eredivisie. The Ajax management has already expressed itself against this measure, which the KNVB calls "solidarity".
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