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Community Shield news

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Community Shield moves away from Wembley

The Football Association has announced a significant change to the domestic football calendar, revealing that the 2026 FA Community Shield will be moved away from Wembley Stadium. Due to scheduling conflicts with pre-planned summer concerts, the annual season opener between the Premier League champions and FA Cup winners will take place at Principality Stadium in Wales.

Premier LeagueArsenal
Crystal Palace v Liverpool - 2025 FA Community Shield

Van Dijk opens up on Liverpool's defensive struggles

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk addressed the club's defensive woes as Crystal Palace twice came from behind to beat the Reds and lift the Community Shield on Sunday. Van Dijk admitted there have been problems in the backline that need to be resolved and urged his colleagues to regain last season's defensive form, where the champions conceded 41 league goals.

V. van DijkLiverpool
Crystal Palace v Liverpool - 2025 FA Community Shield

Van Dijk sends scathing message to fans after Jota silence disrupted

Virgil van Dijk was furious as Wembley’s air of solemnity was broken on Sunday as a small group of Crystal Palace supporters disrupted a minute’s silence for Liverpool forward Diogo Jota and his brother, Andre Silva, ahead of the Community Shield. The two brothers tragically lost their lives in a car accident in Spain last month, and both sets of players had gathered at the centre circle to honour their memory.

V. van DijkLiverpool
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'Not what we want' - Why Slot's worried about Palace Community Shield clash

Liverpool boss Arne Slot has praised his side’s defensive discipline following back-to-back friendly wins over Athletic Club at Anfield on Monday, but admitted there's still a major issue that needs fixing ahead of their Community Shield clash with Crystal Palace. The Reds secured a 4-1 win with a largely rotated squad in the first game against Athletic Club and followed that up with a 3-2 victory in the second, where a more senior line-up was deployed.

LiverpoolA. Slot

Frequently asked questions

Barcelona are the most successful Copa del Rey side in history, winning the cup 31 times, seven more than Athletic Bilbao and 11 more than bitter rivals Real Madrid. Their first-ever Copa del Rey win came in the 1909-10 season. Since the start of the 2014-15 season, the Catalans have lifted this trophy six times.

Currently, as many as 126 teams participate in the Copa del Rey, starting at the top from La Liga and going all the way down to the Tercera Federacion, the fifth tier in Spanish football league system. In its inaugural edition in 1903, just three teams (Athletic Bilbao, Espanyol, and Madrid FC) took part.

Former Athletic Bilbao and Spain forward Piru Gainza is Copa del Rey's record-appearance maker ever, featuring in 99 games in the cup competition.

Iconic Spanish forward Telmo Zarra is Copa del Rey's all-time top scorer, finding the back of the net on 81 occasions between 1939 and 1957. All those goals came in an Athletic Bilbao shirt.

CD Bunol goalkeeper Paco is the oldest player to ever feature in a Copa del Rey game, achieving the feat against Real Sociedad in 2023 at the age of 44 years and 231 days.

Armando Sagi is the youngest player to ever feature in a Copa del Rey game. Playing for Barcelona, Sagi was just 15 years and 339 days old when he made his debut in the competition on April 2, 1922.

Antoine Griezmann, Luka Modric, Sergio Ramos, Neymar, Gareth Bale, James Rodriguez, Telmo Zarra, Sergio Busquets, Roberto Carlos, Luis Suarez, and Xavi are some of the most famous players to have played in the Copa del Rey.

Carlo Ancelotti, Luis Enrique, Juande Ramos, Claudio Ranieri, Louis van Gaal, Sir Bobby Robson, Cesar Menotti, Miguel Munoz, and Ferdinand Daucik are some of Copa del Rey's most famous mangers.

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