'Stop professional football in the Netherlands. Just stop it!'

Once a giant of European football, Ajax is now mired in one of the deepest crises in its glittering 123-year history, 14th in the league, top officials sacked, and the fans running riot. With Ajax shipping three goals in an abject first-half performance, elements of the club's hardcore supporters threw flares onto the pitch, leaving the referee no choice but to abandon the match against Feyenoord. Ugly scenes ensued in Amsterdam, with fans smashing down the entrance to the ground and fighting running battles with mounted riot police firing tear gas.

“Do I have the solution? No, I do not have that. You would almost say: stop professional football in the Netherlands. Just stop it. Yes, I mean that, because it's something every time. This was a deliberate action. People do this deliberately. They have a purpose for that. Now the competition has been stopped, the most important one in the Netherlands, and now? It's just not right. If we can't behave normally in the stadiums, maybe we should just stop doing it. If it is so important, then politicians should really make it an issue. It will end at some point, this can't be possible anymore, can it? It's all madness. You don't have to make a fuss about this anymore. You shouldn't finish this match anymore. This should simply be 0-3 for Feyenoord, although they will say that they could have scored a few more. That's also fine, then you make it 0-5" said club’s and AC Milan’s legend Marco Van Basten,

The fans attack Ajax HQ after a historical embarrassment (VIDEO)

Just after the defeat, Ajax had parted ways with director of football Sven Mislintat "with immediate effect." Mislintat was under external investigation for a possible conflict of interest over a last-minute eight-million-euro transfer in the summer. The club denied that the sacking had anything to do with the probe, citing "the lack of broad support within the organisation" as the reason behind the decision. Another club’s legend Louis van Gaal has ruled himself out, saying his health had to take priority. Ajax's interim CEO Jan van Halst, also the target of fans' anger, admitted the club was in a deep crisis.

And they are now at ‘war’ with the Dutch league, who officially announced today that the remainder of the Eredivisie match Ajax - Feyenoord will be played without an audience on Wednesday, September 27. That was the day when Ajax was supposed to play Volendam, and both clubs are now opposing the idea.

“Due to national and international matches, the earliest possible time to play Ajax - Feyenoord from Ajax's point of view is the first week of November. Then a cup round is played in which Ajax and Feyenoord do not participate. FC Volendam does. The competition and cup program is now being adjusted by the KNVB for four clubs due to the completion of an abandoned match. Not only the clubs, but also the supporters are victims of this. That is why Ajax is considering legal action” said the club in a statement.