AMSTERDAM: The Eredivisie is the first top-tier European league to end its season prematurely because of the coronavirus crisis, but its decision sparked instant complaints from clubs who felt they had lost out. Belgium could ratify an end to its season on Monday.

“Unfortunately, given the measures (banning large-scale gatherings) taken by the government, it became impossible to finish the 2019-2020 season,” the KNVB said in a statement.

“Public health always comes first. It’s not just a football problem here given what the coronavirus is doing to society. Nonetheless, the professional football committee is aware that today’s decisions are going to cause great disappointment for some,” it added.

Ajax Amsterdam were level on points with second-placed AZ Alkmaar but ahead on goal difference when the league was suspended on March 12. The KNVB said Ajax were considered to be on top of the final standings but wont be awarded a 35th national title. It marks the first time since 1945 the Dutch season has finished without a league champion.

“As players and club, you want to become champion on the pitch. We’ve been at the top of the league all year so its a shame we haven’t been crowned champions, but given the current situation its understandable,” Ajax CEO Edwin Van Der Sar said in a video on the club website. “There are more important things than football, but as a player you have the ambition to be champion.”

AZ said they weren’t happy with the ruling, which would see Ajax enter the Champions League at a later stage than AZ.

“We are disappointed that we are now forced to make it clear in this crisis that we do not agree with the way in which the Board of Professional Football has brought about the allocation of European places,” AZ said in a statement.

AZ, this season’s surprise package, were last in the elite competition in 2009-10 when they reached the group stage.

The KNVB added it will allocate Champions League and Europa Lea­gue spots by the current standings.

“In these times, under these circumstances it is not appropriate to speak of a championship, therefore we only confirm the placing of the clubs as per the last standings,” the KNVB said in a statement.

Third-placed Feyenoord Rotterdam will compete in Europa League group phase, while PSV Eindhoven, who are fourth, and Willem II Tilburg in fifth will be in the preliminary rounds.

Among the clubs to lose out were Utrecht, who were sixth, three points behind fifth-placed Willem II, who occupied the last Europa League spot. However, Utrecht played one game less and had a superior goal difference.

Utrecht said in a statement there is no doubt they deserved a place in European competition.

It was also decided there would be no relegation and promotion after a vote of the 38 first and second division clubs.

ADO Den Haag and RKC Waalwijk were expected to be relegated after filling the bottom two places to be replaced by the top two in the second-tier — Cambuur Leeuwarden and De Graafschap.

But it was decided that the same 18 clubs from this season will contest the top flight again in the next campaign.

“It feels like the biggest scandal ever in Dutch sport,” Cambuur coach Henk de Jong told the national broadcaster NOS. His side was 11 points clear of the play-off places when the league was halted.

The decision came three days after Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte announced that a ban on large gatherings, including professional sports matches, was extended to September 1.

Matches behind closed doors were said not to be an option as they are considered events which require a permit and police presence.

UEFA said on Thursday it would support a different format being used to decide leagues, potentially opening the door to systems like playoffs. It also said it wanted Champions League and Europa League spots allocated on sporting merit.

The Belgian league said this month it wanted to declare its current standings final. A meeting to ratify that decision has since been delayed twice and was now set for Monday. That’s so the league can take into account a government meeting on coronavirus lockdown measures on Friday.

“We just did not want to announce anything today that we would then, possibly, immediately have to review because of the government decisions,” Pro League spokesman Stijn Van Bever said.

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2020