While the Czech national football team is fighting in the League of Nations matches, European winemakers have held their championship in South Moravia. The Czechs reached the final without defeat, where they shot down the Slovenes and won the title of European Champion for the first time. The tournament, which has been played since 2010, had a rich accompanying program outside the course, including wine tasting.
At the European Championships, which took place from Wednesday to Saturday in Znojmo, Mikulov and Uherské Hradiště, the Czech winemakers consulted Hungary, Portugal and Austria in the group and advanced to the semifinals with the full number of points. Slovenians, Germans, Italians and Swiss played in the second group.
The semi-final duel with the Germans had a goalless course and the Czechs advanced only after penalties. In the final against Slovenia, they started after a draw half and in the end they won unequivocally 6: 1.
“It is a huge success. The tournament has been played since 2010, we participated in Slovenia for the first time four years ago and we were third. We had the highest ambitions at home and it turned out the best we could,” says Stanislav national team president satisfied. Weaver.
He also led the organizing committee of the tournament and did not only deal with football. The Euro winemakers are always associated with an accompanying program including conferences, lectures and, of course, wine tasting.
“The tournament was also successful on this side, at least according to the reactions of other teams and Robert Lönarz, president of ‘UEFA’ wine. ‘ they helped us a lot, “Weaver mentions.
It was not always easy to cover other expeditions. “Everyone had their own guide, but some teams did a little bit what they wanted. For example, the Portuguese showed their temperament more sometimes,” smiles the head of the organizing committee.
The significance of the event is, in addition to the struggle on the field, establishing contacts between winemakers and the exchange of experiences. “Every evening we had a joint program where we tasted wines from all eight countries. We had prepared lectures on wine on various topics, for teams and for invited students from several wine universities,” says Tkadlec.
After the evening tasting, the teams had to get together before the morning matches. The medalists played five matches in four days. It was played according to the classic football rules, with only an unlimited number of substitutions and a shorter playing time of 2 × 30, in the final 2 × 40 minutes.
“It was time-adjusted so that the program could be managed. But then it depends on each individual. It’s also about the group, which always fades over a glass. As far as I had the opportunity to hear, some teams took it responsibly in the evening,” he says. smiling weaver.
Every player on the Euro had to be registered with the European Football Union of Winegrowers UENFW, and at the time of registration he had to prove that he was actually working in the wine sector. In addition, each team could also register one former footballer or public figure.
The Czechs added former representative and gunner David Lafata to these positions, together with television commentator Jaromír Bosák.
“David and I agreed two years ago, when the Euro was originally scheduled to move before the coronavirus moved. He confirmed his interest this year and helped us in two matches,” says Tkadlec.
Just before the end, the six-time top scorer of the Czech league cut a 3: 2 victory over Austria in the group with scissors, and in the semifinals against Germany, he then turned the promotion penalty.
“David was of course different on the field, he played under the spike or in the middle of the reserve. His experience was clear, he decided twice. Míra Bosák also played against Austria, he wanted to come to the finals, but in the end circumstances did not allow him,” adds the president of the tournament.
According to Tkadlec, medal matches in particular had the level of the upper floors of the regional championship, possibly a division, ie the fifth or fourth highest Czech competition.
“Our team is mixed in terms of age, there are older boys who started in the national team, as well as younger ones, for example from the regional championship and division,” he states. David Michna dominated the shooters’ competition with five goals. In the final with the Slovenians, the divisional Hodonín player shone with a hat-trick.
The only red card in the tournament was received by the Slovenes. “They played pretty hard from the beginning. We are all competitive and we want to win, but we still calmed them down a bit,” says Tkadlec. “The tournament is designed to be mainly fun associated with another program,” he concludes.
Czech winemakers therefore have bronze and gold from two European championships. In another field, they build on the success of the Czech national football team, which has participated in the World Cup seven times since 2013. She won gold three times and finished second four times.
