Ajax Amsterdam are in danger of finishing outside the top two in the Dutch league for the first time in 13 seasons and missing out on the Champions League next season as they struggle to build a new team in the wake of record sales last year. The club have finished champions seven times and runners-up another five over the last 12 seasons, since ending third behind AZ Alkmaar and Twente Enschede in 2009.

However, after a 3-0 drubbing from PSV Eindhoven on Sunday, Ajax have dropped to third with four league matches left to play. It could get worse as their next league clash on May 6 is home to AZ, who are two points behind them in fourth place.

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Ajax, who meet PSV again this Sunday in the Dutch Cup final, have paid the price for their own success over the past three title winning seasons and their run to the Champions League semi-final in 2019, selling the bulk of their talent and losing coach Erik ten Hag to Manchester United. Now it is their arch rivals, Feyenoord who are on course to win the league, needing five points from their final four matches.

They have 73 points with PSV second on 65 and Ajax on 62, facing having to play in the Europa League next season after 13 successive season of competing in the Champions League.

POSITIVE BANK BALANCE

Ajax, who are four-time European champions, made an eye-watering 216.2-million euros in transfers in the close season, including almost 155-million alone from Manchester United for Brazilian Antony and defender Lisandro Martinez. But despite the positive bank balance, the club are in transition struggling to replace the departed talent.

Captain Dusan Tadic said on Sunday he had noticed a decline in the level at training daily and in matches weekly. "We won one top match all season," in a reference to this month’s Dutch Cup semi-final success at Feyenoord. "We need more quality in the squad."

They were beaten 6-1 at home by Napoli and 3-0 by Liverpool in the Champions League and in January fired coach Alfred Schreuder after only half a season in charge following a string of seven matches without a win.

John Heitinga stepped in as caretaker for the rest of the season. “It’s been a difficult season, we all realise that,” he said on Sunday.

“We have to be realistic, a lot of quality has gone and a completely new team had to take shape. That takes time. We have to take this year as it is, but look very critically at next season. It's a gap year, but we can't have too many gap years at Ajax.”

Ajax Amsterdam are in danger of finishing outside the top two in the Dutch league for the first time in 13 seasons and missing out on the Champions League next season as they struggle to build a new team in the wake of record sales last year.

Ajax Amsterdam are in danger of finishing outside the top two in the Dutch league for the first time in 13 seasons and missing out on the Champions League next season as they struggle to build a new team in the wake of record sales last year. The club have finished champions seven times and runners-up another five over the last 12 seasons, since ending third behind AZ Alkmaar and Twente Enschede in 2009. However, after a 3-0 drubbing from PSV Eindhoven on Sunday, Ajax have dropped to third with four league matches left to play. It could get worse as their next league clash on May 6 is home to AZ, who are two points behind them in fourth place. ALSO READ: Football Transfers: Barcelona target re-signing Chelsea 'out of favour' Aubameyang as Lewandowski competition Ajax, who meet PSV again this Sunday in the Dutch Cup final, have paid the price for their own success over the past three title winning seasons and their run to the Champions League semi-final in 2019, selling the bulk of their talent and losing coach Erik ten Hag to Manchester United. Now it is their arch rivals, Feyenoord who are on course to win the league, needing five points from their final four matches. They have 73 points with PSV second on 65 and Ajax on 62, facing having to play in the Europa League next season after 13 successive season of competing in the Champions League. POSITIVE BANK BALANCE Ajax, who are four-time European champions, made an eye-watering 216.2-million euros in transfers in the close season, including almost 155-million alone from Manchester United for Brazilian Antony and defender Lisandro Martinez. But despite the positive bank balance, the club are in transition struggling to replace the departed talent. Captain Dusan Tadic said on Sunday he had noticed a decline in the level at training daily and in matches weekly. "We won one top match all season," in a reference to this month’s Dutch Cup semi-final success at Feyenoord. "We need more quality in the squad." They were beaten 6-1 at home by Napoli and 3-0 by Liverpool in the Champions League and in January fired coach Alfred Schreuder after only half a season in charge following a string of seven matches without a win. John Heitinga stepped in as caretaker for the rest of the season. “It’s been a difficult season, we all realise that,” he said on Sunday. “We have to be realistic, a lot of quality has gone and a completely new team had to take shape. That takes time. We have to take this year as it is, but look very critically at next season. It's a gap year, but we can't have too many gap years at Ajax.”

Ajax on cusp of losing Champions League spot for first time in 13 seasons

No Dutch top-flight league soccer title will be awarded this season after the COVID-19 pandemic brought the campaign to a premature close, the Dutch FA (KNVB) said after a meeting with clubs and unions representing coaches and players on Friday.

However, Ajax Amsterdam and AZ Alkmaar, who were level on points at the top of the standings with nine rounds of matches still to play, will go into next season's Champions League.

The campaign was declared over on Tuesday when the Dutch government extended a ban on public events to Sept. 1 in an effort to curtail the spread of the new coronavirus, which has caused more than 4,000 deaths in the Netherlands.

Ajax were top of the Eredivisie table with 56 points from 25 games, only ahead of AZ on goal difference, and both teams will now fill the Netherlands' qualifying places in UEFA's 2020-21 Champions League, Europe's elite club competition.

“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.

On the basis of top place, Ajax will take the Netherlands’ automatic place in the Champions League group phase while AZ will enter the competition at the preliminary round stage.

AZ, this season's surprise package, were last in the elite competition in 2009-10 when they reached the group stage.

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.

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.

“Unfortunately, with the cabinet's most recent corona measures, it has become impossible to play out the rest of the 2019/2020 season,” the FA statement added.

“It will be crystal clear to everyone involved, from supporters and players to directors and referees, that public health always comes first.

"Today's decisions made about the settlement of the competition were for a mere football problem in the perspective of what the coronavirus has caused to society.

“Nevertheless, the KNVB is aware that today's decisions will cause great disappointment in football for some,” the FA said.

No Dutch top-flight league soccer title will be awarded this season after the COVID-19 pandemic brought the campaign to a premature close, the Dutch FA (KNVB) said after a meeting with clubs and unions representing coaches and players on Friday.

No Dutch top-flight league soccer title will be awarded this season after the COVID-19 pandemic brought the campaign to a premature close, the Dutch FA (KNVB) said after a meeting with clubs and unions representing coaches and players on Friday. However, Ajax Amsterdam and AZ Alkmaar, who were level on points at the top of the standings with nine rounds of matches still to play, will go into next season's Champions League. The campaign was declared over on Tuesday when the Dutch government extended a ban on public events to Sept. 1 in an effort to curtail the spread of the new coronavirus, which has caused more than 4,000 deaths in the Netherlands. Ajax were top of the Eredivisie table with 56 points from 25 games, only ahead of AZ on goal difference, and both teams will now fill the Netherlands' qualifying places in UEFA's 2020-21 Champions League, Europe's elite club competition. “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. On the basis of top place, Ajax will take the Netherlands’ automatic place in the Champions League group phase while AZ will enter the competition at the preliminary round stage. AZ, this season's surprise package, were last in the elite competition in 2009-10 when they reached the group stage. 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. 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. “Unfortunately, with the cabinet's most recent corona measures, it has become impossible to play out the rest of the 2019/2020 season,” the FA statement added. “It will be crystal clear to everyone involved, from supporters and players to directors and referees, that public health always comes first. "Today's decisions made about the settlement of the competition were for a mere football problem in the perspective of what the coronavirus has caused to society. “Nevertheless, the KNVB is aware that today's decisions will cause great disappointment in football for some,” the FA said.

No Dutch league title awarded this season says FA

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Ajax on cusp of losing Champions League spot for first time in 13 seasons

No Dutch league title awarded this season says FA