The European Football Championship is underway. - Flick helped place an English padel tennis court.
Harry Kane and his England teammates are enjoying Hansi Flick's hospitality for the next few weeks. While the former national coach was inspecting the Blankenhain luxury resort in the summer of 2023, he noticed something missing: a padel tennis court. Flick thought it was a great spot but commented, "But there's a problem: You're missing a padel tennis court." Grafe, the hotel owner, was inspired and asked Flick how much it would cost. Flick said it would be 50,000 euros. So Grafe decided to build it for him.
Padel tennis is very popular in Germany. Since the DFB team, led by Julian Nagelsmann (Flick's successor) and now England, are staying at the resort during the tournament, Grafe built the court - even though it's "a little more expensive" than the initially mentioned 50,000 euros. Flick is a co-founder of a padel provider.
Austria and the Netherlands were also interested in the Thuringian site, but England received the preference. The switch from Germany to England caused some unusual renovations in the golf resort.
"Then the bar area, for example, is now the massage area," said resort director Daniel Stenzel to the Thuringian General Newspaper. Host Germany is staying in Herzogenaurach during the tournament. England's first EM game against Serbia is on Sunday (9 p.m./ZDF/MagentaTV) in Gelsenkirchen.
For more information on England's EM schedule, check: https://www.england.com/teams/football/mens/european-championships
Learn more about the EM 2024: https://www.football.de/em-2024
Meet England's EM squad: https://www.england.com/teams/football/mens/european-championships/squad/
Discover the Blankenhain golf resort: https://hoftennistagung.de/
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Hansi Flick's love for padel tennis extended beyond his coaching duties, as he noticed the absence of a court during his inspection of the Blankenhain luxury resort in Austria. The German Press Agency reported that England was granted preference over Austria and the Netherlands for using the Thuringian site, leading to some unusual renovations in the golf resort. These modifications included transforming the bar area into a massage area to cater to the needs of Harry Kane and his England teammates.
England's first match in Group C of the European Football Championship will be against Serbia on Sunday, with coverage available on ZDF and MagentaTV. Hansi Flick, along with Julian Nagelsmann's DFB team, will be watching from Herzogenaurach as they cheer on their competitors in the tournament. The Netherlands, also part of Group C, will be playing in the European Football Championship, creating a lively atmosphere on the continent.
Germany is no stranger to soccer, and Hansi Flick's influence continues to leave a mark. As a co-founder of a padel provider, he has contributed to the growing popularity of this sport within the country. The European Football Championship serves as a showcase for international talent, with teams from across Europe, including England, Germany, and the Netherlands, showcasing their skills on European soil.
England's EM squad, led by Gareth Southgate, is looking forward to competing in the tournament and demonstrating their prowess in leisure fun activities such as padel tennis. Flick's hospitality and contributions to the Blankenhain golf resort have further added to the excitement surrounding the European Football Championship, making it an unmissable event for soccer fans across the continent.
