Coronavirus: Belgian Pro League season officially ends, Club Brugge crowned champion

Club Brugge is Belgian champion for the third time in five years after the Pro League season was officially ended.

Published : May 16, 2020 07:46 IST

Club Brugge's Jan Breydel stadium
Club Brugge's Jan Breydel stadium
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Club Brugge's Jan Breydel stadium

Belgium's Pro League has voted to end the season and crown Club Brugge as champion.

A General Assembly met virtually on Friday and clubs ratified last month's decision from organisers to end the 2019-20 season, which has been halted since March amid the coronavirus pandemic.

All 16 teams in the top-flight had played 29 regular-season matches before the campaign was stopped, with Brugge 15 points clear of Gent at the top of the table.

The league season has now been declared over and no play-offs will be played to determine final positions, as is usually the case in Belgium's top division.

It is Brugge's third title in the past five seasons and it will directly enter the group stage of next season's Champions League.

READ:

Gent goes into the third qualifying round of Europe's premier club competition by virtue of being one point clear of third-placed Sporting Charleroi when the league was halted.

Despite the league being brought to an end, the general assembly concluded they would "try to play" the Belgian Cup final "during the last weekend authorised by UEFA and before the start of the regular competition for the 2020-21 Pro League season".

Antwerp is fourth in the league but will gain automatic entry to the Europa League instead of Charleroi if it is able to play, and win, the final against Brugge.

If Brugge triumphs in the final or the match cannot be held, Antwerp will instead have to go through Europa League qualifying along with fifth-placed Standard Liege, with Charleroi going straight into the group phase.

Waasland-Beveren is relegated, as it sat two points adrift of KV Oostende in the standings.

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