Ajax chief executive Edwin van der Sar​ has said his side being denied the Eredivisie title is ‘understandable’ after the league’s season was ended without a champion on Friday.

The Eredivisie and second-tier Eerste Divisie both saw their 2019-20 seasons ended early due to Covid-19 after prime minister Mark Rutte had previously banned all football matches until 1 September.

As part of the decision, no champion was declared in either division and no teams will be promoted or relegated between the two leagues.

Ajax were in first place when the league was halted in March due to the coronavirus pandemic, with Van der Sar​’s club level on points with second-placed AZ but ahead due to a superior goal difference.

Though Ajax would have won a second straight Dutch championship if the title had been awarded to whichever team was in first place, Van der Sar said he understood the decision to go without a champion.

‘As a player you want to become champion and you want to become champion on the pitch,’ Var der Sar told Ajax’s official YouTube channel. ‘We have been number one in the rankings all season, so it’s a pity there’s no champion. But given the circumstances it’s very understandable.

‘There are far more important issues than football, but as a player you always have the ambition to become champion.’

Following the decision on the Dutch top-flight’s season, Willem II director Martin van Geel revealed the Dutch federation has asked clubs who will be playing European football next season to donate 25% of their prize money to the other Eredivisie teams.

Van der Sar has said he believes that is a good policy, though he stressed that Ajax will still be taking a massive financial hit during the ongoing pandemic.

‘[Ajax technical director] Marc Overmars already spoke about an emergency fund and I feel the same way. We are the biggest club in the Netherlands and we should help the other clubs to survive.

‘But unfortunately we take hits too. A major part of our income comes from the home matches and they are cancelled. We are speaking about dozens of millions.’