Arne Slot reflects on the Community Shield, the weight of expectations, and the challenge of Crystal Palace:
“Starting the season with a trophy on the line is a rare and exciting opportunity—one that sets the tone not only for your first few fixtures but potentially for the entire campaign. Normally, a team has to navigate months of grueling competition to even get a chance to lift silverware—whether it’s the Premier League, the FA Cup, or European tournaments. Those victories are often hard-fought, built on consistency, endurance, and long-term planning.
But the Community Shield stands apart. It’s one of football’s unique stages, where success isn’t the result of a long journey, but rather the beginning of one. It offers a rare chance to grab early momentum, build belief, and send a message—not just to your rivals, but to your own squad and fanbase—that you’re serious, sharp, and ready to compete at the highest level.
For us, coming off a season where we accomplished a lot, the biggest challenge now is continuity. It’s easy to reflect on past achievements, but in elite football, success has no memory. What matters is what comes next. That’s why this match carries more weight than people might think—it’s not a friendly, it’s a mental checkpoint. Are we still hungry? Are we still united? Are we still willing to give everything?
And yet, our opponents aren’t just there to play a part in our story. Crystal Palace are a very strong side, and in recent meetings, they’ve proven to be a significant challenge. They’ve developed a reputation for making life difficult for top teams. Their tactical discipline, physical strength, and counter-attacking threat mean we’ll have to be completely focused. They’ve caused us problems before, and we’re fully aware of that going into this game.
So, while the occasion is celebratory in nature—the so-called ‘curtain raiser’ of English football—we’re treating it like a final. Because in reality, that’s what it is. A one-off opportunity to start the season with silverware. A one-off chance to step onto the pitch, not just with hope, but with purpose. And if we want to walk away with that trophy, we’ll need to meet the moment with maximum intensity and togetherness. Nothing less will do.”
