Ferencváros has won the Hungarian Championship for the 30th time in its 120-year history. The outcome was decided before the team even entered the field at the OTP Bank League on Saturday.
Saturday afternoon, MOL Vidi tied 1-1 against Puskás Akadémia, meaning that the team from Székesfehérvár could in no way overtake Ferencváros in the standings. Despite losing 3-2 to Budapest Honvéd in the evening match, Ferencváros entered the Hidegkuti Nándor Stadium as a national champion despite having three more rounds to go before the official end of the championship.
photo by Balázs Czagány/MTI
With the victory, Fradi joined an elite group of 13 teams who have won their country’s championship at least 30 times. The list includes clubs like Scottish giant Rangers (54 victories), Celtic (49), Benfica (36), Juventus (35) and Real Madrid (33).
Ferencváros’ achievement came after Serhiy Rebrov, a young and successful Ukrainian coach, replaced German Thomas Doll as the club’s manager during the season.
photo by Balázs Czagány/MTI
The victory also ensured that the green-white team will represent Hungary in the Champions League qualification rounds in the summer of 2019. The list of potential opponents includes Dundalk, who also won their national champion title before the end of the season; Maccabi Tel-Aviv, who kicked Fradi out of the Europe League qualifications last year and the Albanian Partizani Tirana, who knocked them out in the second round of the Champions League qualifications after their last Hungarian championship victory in the 2015/2016 season.
featured photo by Balázs Czagány/MTI