European Championship Public Training
Gütersloh in Ronaldo frenzy – 6000 tickets sold in one minute
Status: 3:41 p.m. | Reading time: 2 minutes
Ronaldo and the Portuguese come to Germany on Thursday
What: REUTERS
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On Thursday, the Portuguese will set up their European Championship quarters. As in 2006, they will be travelling to East Westphalia. The hype there is huge, with free tickets being offered for up to 250 euros each. Chaos is inevitable during training on Friday.
The city of Gütersloh is trying to channel the hype as best it can – but chaos could be unavoidable. Over 8,000 fans are expected when the Portuguese national team holds a public training session at the Heidewald Stadium on Friday. “When so many fans arrive, waiting times can hardly be avoided,” says a statement from the East Westphalian city, along with a request “to allow plenty of time for the journey.”
The hype caused by the 2016 European champions and especially their superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is remarkable. The approximately 6,000 tickets for Friday’s training were sold out within a minute. There were over 50,000 requests. The black market then flourished. According to the local daily newspaper “Neue Westfälische”, some of the tickets, which had been provided free of charge by UEFA and the Portuguese association, were offered for well over 100 euros. One fan was prepared to pay 1,000 euros for four tickets on an online portal.
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The Portuguese will set up their European Championship quarters in Marienfelde on Thursday evening, twelve kilometers from Gütersloh. The team had already stayed there at the Hotel Klosterpforte during the 2006 World Cup, including Ronaldo. At the 2006 World Cup, the then 19-year-old was considered an up-and-coming star – alongside established figures such as Deco and winger Luis Figo.
Reinhold Frie, owner of the Hotel Klosterpforte, which is located next to a former Cistercian abbey from the 12th century, had fought hard to get the Portuguese to come to Marienfelde.
Portugal’s coach even came to the topping-out ceremony
Frie had expanded the complex into a sports hotel, where various Bundesliga teams had training camps for many years. In order to meet FIFA’s requirements, Frie invested heavily again in 2006. And with success: The then Portuguese national coach Luiz Felipe Scolari in particular fell in love with the idyllically located hotel. The Brazilian, who had led his home country to the World Cup title in 2002, even turned up unannounced for the topping-out ceremony for the new building in May 2006. The fire brigade band from Harsewinkel, a neighbouring community of Marienfelde, played the Brazilian national anthem in his honour.
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Muscles against body fat
Things are unlikely to be quite so peaceful at the monastery gate in the coming days. Security requirements in particular have increased significantly since 2006. The Portuguese entourage comprises around 120 people, and conference rooms had to be converted into function rooms for scouts and physiotherapists. The area has been fenced off and unauthorized persons will not be allowed access. The daily press conferences will be held on the grounds of the neighboring former monastery.
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The Portuguese have booked the monastery gate for 14 days – including the option of an extension.
