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No champions, no promotion, no relegation as Dutch season ends

Ajax will not be crowned Eredivisie champions, despite them topping the table with the season cal...



No champions, no promotion, no...
Soccer

No champions, no promotion, no relegation as Dutch season ends

Ajax will not be crowned Eredivisie champions, despite them topping the table with the season called to an early end. 

The government in the Netherlands banned football taking place before September 1st which led to the KNVB bringing the curtain down ahead of time.

Ajax led AZ on goal difference alone at the top of the table, with both clubs still having thirteen games left to play.

A meeting of the KNVB and clubs to decide the outcome of the season also ruled out promotion and relegation.

The decision was put to a vote which saw 16 clubs vote for promotion and relegation, 9 voted against, and a further 9 abstained saying the KNVB should decide.

Ultimately the Dutch FA did decide.

RKC Waalwijk stood to be automatically relegated, with Alan Pardew's ADO Den Haag in the relegation playoff spot.

Neither will be going down following today's vote, while Cambuur and De Graafschap will stay in the second tier.

A 20-team Eredivisie was thought not to be feasible.

Among those angered by the decision was FC Groningen director Hans Nijland who tweeted to say, "It is incomprehensible that you put promotion / relegation to the clubs for a vote.

"This will create even more divisions for now and in the future.

"I feel sorry for Cambuur and De Graafschap."

It's the first time since 1945 that no Dutch champions will have been crowned.

Today's decision is fully in line with UEFA's recommendations on Thursday regarding seasons ending early due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

With the final standings, Ajax qualify for the group stages of next season's Champions League, with AZ going through the qualifying rounds.

Feyenoord take a place in the Europa League group phase, while PSV Eindhoven will enter in the 3rd qualifying round, and Willem II in the 2nd qualifying round.

One of the sides most hard done-by through this process is Utrecht.

They trailed 6th placed Willem II by three-points, but would have leapt above them had they won their game in hand.

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ADO Den Haag AZ Ajax Alan Pardew Coronavirus Covid-19 Eredivisie Feyenoord KNVB Netherlands