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Daily Record
Daily Record
Sport
Mark McDougall

Celtic and Rangers watch on as Belgium declare their champions but hold fire on relegation verdict

Club Brugge have been declared as champions of the Belgian Pro League after it was decided to end the season as it stands due to the coronavirus crisis.

The Belgian FA are the first UEFA nation to make a decision on their league standings after the league's board decided that the season wouldn't be able to be completed.

The decision comes with the SPFL facing the decision of either crowning Celtic champions and relegating Hearts or declaring the entire campaign as null and void.

Brugge were 15 points clear of second placed Gent and the Belgian league normally goes into a playoff system after 30 games to decide champions and European places.

But with 29 games played, they have decided to declare Club Brugge champions while Gent will go into the Champions League qualifiers for next season.

However, they are yet to decide on relegation and the cup final with a working group put together to determine the fairest way to decide it.

That includes senior figures at Genk, Gent, KV Kortijk, Zulte Waregem and the CEO of the Pro League and CEO of the players Union.

A decision also has to be made on the cup final with Club Brugge going up against Antwerp.

That would have a knock-on effect on the Europa League placings with Antwerp currently due to enter in the qualifying rounds, with third placed Charleroi going into the group.

But if Antwerp shocked Club Brugge then they would go automatically into the competition with Charleroi dropping down.

It comes after Record Sport exclusively revealed that the SPFL is approaching D-Day on deciding what to do with the current campaign in Scotland.

With English clubs weighing up their decision based on the billion pound TV deal, Neil Doncaster is left with a decision over whether to crown Celtic champions and relegate Hearts or declare the entire campaign as null-and-void.

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