The Netherlands League officially canceled the 2019/2020 season due to the global corona virus pandemic (Covid-19). Ajax Amsterdam, which is at the top of the table until week 25, could not get the title of competition this season.
Reporting from Skysports, canceling the competition also affected promotion and degradation. This season no clubs have been relegated and won promotion tickets, based on the agreement of all clubs and the Dutch Football Federation (KNVB) which were reached at a meeting by teleconference.
Ajax topped the Eredivisie standings with nine matches left. Ajax only scored on goal difference from AZ Alkmaar when the league was temporarily suspended.
“As a player and a club, it is natural to want a title,” said Ajax CEO Edwin van der Sar.
“You want to show that on the pitch and we have topped the standings so far. Obviously it’s hard when you are not declared champion, but in a situation like this it might be understandable. There are more important things today than football.”
Eredivisie has decided that Ajax will go straight into the Champions League play-offs, while AZ has the right to play in the second qualifying round of the Champions League.
Rank three Feyenoord went straight into the Europa League group stages, while PSV and Willem II had to undergo the second qualifying round of the Europa League.
On the other hand, AZ has indicated its dissatisfaction with the KNVB decision, especially with regard to the European ration given to the club.
“We have been trying for several weeks to elaborate on various scenarios to prevent the situation we face today,” the club’s official statement said.
The Dutch league became the first league in Europe to decide to cancel the 2019/2020 season competition. Other leagues have not determined. But La Liga and the Bundesliga have indicated to continue competition in 2019/2020.
On the one hand, a breakthrough in European competition is likely to make Ajax Amsterdam have an obligation to contribute to other Eredivisie teams.
The reason, Willem II Director, Martin van Geel, had revealed that the KNVB asked teams that competed in European competition 2020/2021 to donate 25% of the prize money to other Eredivisie participants.
Willem II also has the opportunity to become a donor because they sit in fifth place and qualify for the second round of Europa League qualification 2020/2021.
Van der Sar stated that the KNVB plan was a good idea. However, Van der Sar did not necessarily agree. The reason, he stressed that Ajax was also experiencing a financial crisis due to the corona virus pandemic.
“Ajax Amsterdam is the biggest club in the Netherlands and we have to help other clubs. Unfortunately, we also experience financial problems. The majority of our income comes from home games and they are canceled, “concluded Van der Sar.
