If Chelsea beat Arsenal in the FA Cup final who will they play in the Community Shield?
Traditionally, the Community Shield pits the winner of the Premier League against the winner of the FA Cup – so what happens if Chelsea do the double?
Antonio Conte takes his title-winners to Wembley Stadium on Saturday where Arsenal will hope to make up for a disappointing league campaign by lifting the cup.
The FA rulebook states: ‘The clubs eligible to play in the match shall be the current holders of the Football Association Challenge Cup and the previous season’s champion club of the Football Association Premier League.
‘If the said champion club is also the current holder of the Football Association Challenge Cup, the previous season’s runners-up to the said champion club or such other clubs as the Association may decide.’
That means we could be treated to yet another mouth-watering clash between Tottenham, who finished second last season, and Chelsea, who pipped them to the title.
Manchester United had finished runners-up so took part in the Community Shield, emerging victorious with a 3-1 win at Wembley Stadium – they would go on to win the title too.
Chelsea and Spurs have played out many memorable matches this season, with Pedro scoring a screamer in a come-from-behind win at the Bridge, Dele Alli grabbing a brace at the Lane and then Nemanja Matic spanking a 25-yard piledriver into the top corner to settle a 4-2 win in the FA Cup semi-final.
Should Chelsea claim FA Cup glory and trigger Tottenham’s participation in the Community Shield, it would be the first time they have played in the showpiece since 1991.