FC Utrecht To Appeal After Eredivisie Cancellation Denies Them European Spot
Dutch Eredivisie side FC Utrecht have decided to appeal against a decision to deny them an European spot after the league was cancelled on Friday amid the coronavirus crisis.
The Dutch top flight has been declared null and void, with no champions crowned while there will be no relegation and promotion despite nine games of the season still remaining.
The move comes after all football activities was halted until September by the Dutch government.
The current standings have been declared final with the top two, Ajax and AZ Alkmaar, going into the Champions League qualifiers for next season and Feyenoord, PSV and Willem II, who occupied third, fourth and fifth places getting a spot in the Europa League – subject to UEFA’s approval.
Utrecht lay sixth on the league log, three points behind fifth placed Willem II, with a game in hand and a superior goal difference, before the season was cancelled.
Utrecht could also have secured a Europa League place with a win in the Dutch Cup final against Feyenoord but that game will also not be played.
A club statement said: "FC Utrecht does not hesitate to challenge the decision not to award a [European] ticket to FC Utrecht before the preliminary relief judge and UEFA.
"After written correspondence earlier today, the KNVB announced via a conference call that the European tickets will be allocated to numbers 1 to 5 of the current Eredivisie rankings.
"It is unacceptable for FC Utrecht that the cup competition, which only has one game to play, is completely ignored and does not count in the consideration of which club is entitled to a European ticket on sporting grounds.
"The Europa League group stage ticket will be awarded to Feyenoord without any explanation based on the league table. FC Utrecht is just as entitled to this ticket as fellow cup finalist Feyenoord (and even more entitled because it has won a cup match more than Feyenoord), which is not included in the presentation of the decisions today.
"FC Utrecht is also in sixth position of the Eredivisie at the end of the competition, but the club has played a match less than Willem II.
"In the explanatory notes, the KNVB has not spoken a word about the fact that FC Utrecht has played a match less than Willem II and overtakes the Tilburg team in the rankings if they win. In that case FC Utrecht has the same number of points, but a much better goal difference, more goals scored and a better head-to-head record.
"According to FC Utrecht, the decision to shift the European ticket from the cup to the league is not based on sporting grounds and cannot be justified in any other way. This ticket is the main prize for another competition.
"The highest ticket of the cup competition, which only two clubs are entitled to, cannot therefore simply be shifted according to regulations."
The statement continued: "FC Utrecht is convinced that the club is entitled to a ticket for European football on sporting grounds, because of the place in the cup final and because of the current Eredivisie ranking."
