Controversy Arises Over B-Teams in Eredivisie

Ajax and Feyenoord have caused significant upheaval among their fellow Eredivisie clubs by fielding B-teams in European competitions, a decision that has not been well-received by their competition.

The Eredivisie has expressed strong discontent with the actions of the Netherlands’ top clubs. In recent years, various agreements have been established to support Dutch football, allowing European participants to request postponements of Eredivisie matches. This arrangement typically benefits the other clubs by allowing them to share in revenue. Consequently, there is growing outrage among several teams regarding the decision by former Ajax coach Francesco Farioli and Feyenoord coach Robin van Persie to deploy B-teams.

Farioli utilized this strategy in a match against Eintracht Frankfurt, while Van Persie opted for a B-team in the game against SC Braga. ECV director De Jong understands that coaches may focus on immediate results. “However, we have consistently emphasized the potential long-term effects of such decisions, both for the top clubs and for the other Dutch teams,” he stated.