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Billy Haisley

Kylian Mbappe of PSG in action during the UEFA Champions League 2023/24 round of 16 second leg match between Real Sociedad and Paris Saint-Germain at Reale Arena, Estadio de Anoeta on March 5, 2024 in San Sebastian, Spain.

Kylian Mbappé Is Taking The Champions League One On One

Ray Ratto

Jack Harrison (L) of Everton and Felipe challenge for the ball during the Premier League match between Nottingham Forest and Everton FC at City Ground on December 02, 2023 in Nottingham, England.

The Premier League Is In Its College Football Era

Phil Foden of Manchester City scores a goal to make it 2-1 during the Premier League match between Manchester City and Manchester United at Etihad Stadium on March 3, 2024 in Manchester, England.

Phil Foden Paints Manchester Sky Blue

Paul Pogba of Juventus in a match against Torino on December 1, 2012.

The Failure Of Paul Pogba

Patrick Redford

CARSON, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 26: Alex Morgan #7 of United States reacts after a goal by Mexico in the second half during Group A - 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup match at Dignity Health Sports Park on February 26, 2024 in Carson, California. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

Mexico Finally Killed Off The Old USWNT For Good

Luis Paez-Pumar

Liverpool players including Caoimhin Kelleher, Kostas Tsimikas, Virgil van Dijk of Liverpool celebrates after winning the Carabao Cup Final match between Chelsea and Liverpool at Wembley Stadium on February 25, 2024 in London, England.

These Pool Boys Became Pool Men

Aaron Gordon is a reporter covering transportation, infrastructure, and the environment. Most recently, he was a senior staff writer at Motherboard, VICE News’s tech and science website.

Aaron Gordon

A general overall aerial view of Arrowhead Stadium on December 25, 2023 in Kansas City, Missouri.

The Good, The Bad, And The Unreachable: A World Cup Transit Report Ranking

Albert Burneko

NAPLES, ITALY - FEBRUARY 21: Robert Lewandowski (2nd L) of FC Barcelona, celebrates with his teammates after scoring a goal during the UEFA Champions League round of 16 first leg football match between Napoli and FC Barcelona at the Diego Armando Maradona stadium in Naples, Italy, on February 21, 2024.

More Like Barcelimbo

Marko Arnautovic of FC Internazionale scores the goal during the UEFA Champions League 2023/24 round of 16 first leg match between FC Internazionale and Atletico Madrid at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on February 20, 2024 in Milan, Italy.

Atlético Madrid Reverts To Type

Diana Moskovitz is Defector&#8217;s investigations editor. You can contact her at diana@defector.com or dfmoskovitz@protonmail.com. She&#8217;s also on Signal @dmoskovitz.99

Diana Moskovitz

Andy Polo of Universitario celebrates his goal during Liga 1 Profesional Peru match between Alianza Lima and Universitario at Estadio Nacional de Lima on February 10, 2024 in Lima, Peru.

Peruvian International Andy Polo Found Liable For Domestic Violence

MONZA, ITALY - FEBRUARY 18: Christian Pulisic of AC Milan scores his team's second goal during the Serie A TIM match between AC Monza and AC Milan - Serie A TIM at U-Power Stadium on February 18, 2024 in Monza, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

How Thrilling It Is To Have Christian Pulisic Back In Top Form

PARIS, FRANCE - FEBRUARY 14Kylian Mbappe of PSG celebrates after scoring his team's first goal during the UEFA Champions League 2023/24 round of 16 first leg match between Paris Saint-Germain and Real Sociedad at Parc des Princes on February 14, 2024 in Paris, France.

Maybe Kylian Mbappé Really Is Leaving This Time?

Dayot Upamecano of Bayern Munchen is expelled by the referee François Letexier during the UEFA Champions League 2023/24 round of 16 first leg match between SS Lazio and FC Bayern München at Stadio Olimpico on February 14, 2024 in Rome, Italy.

Bayern Munich Is Face-To-Face With Its Own Mortality

Brahim Diaz of Real Madrid CF celebrates after scoring his team's first goal during the UEFA Champions League 2023/24 round of 16 first leg match between RB Leipzig and Real Madrid CF at Red Bull Arena on February 13, 2024 in Leipzig, Germany.

Everybody’s A Star At Real Madrid

Handball referees Marcus Helbig (l) and Lars Geipel show the new blue cards in Leipzig, Germany, 1 August 2016. The two will be refereeing at the Olympic games for the second time. PHOTO: JAN WOITAS/DPA | usage worldwide (Photo by Jan Woitas/picture alliance via Getty Images)

Soccer’s Rulemakers Are Rolling Out Blue Cards

Phil Foden of Manchester City celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the Premier League match between Brentford FC and Manchester City at Brentford Community Stadium on February 05, 2024 in Brentford, England.

Manchester City Is Ready To Pounce

Barry Petchesky

David Roth

Kathryn Xu

Metlife Stadium across the Hackensack River in Secaucus, New Jersey, on June 15, 2023. Activist Bill Sheehan has turned mountains to clean up the river, polluted by industry, ten kilometers (6.2 miles) from Manhattan, even if much remains to be done. "It didn't take me long to realize that the river needed a full-time advocate," he says of the hemmed in by an ultra-dense urban grid. (Photo by KENA BETANCUR / AFP) (Photo by KENA BETANCUR/AFP via Getty Images)

Let Us Discuss What The World Cup Final Means For “New York New Jersey”

Emile is a freelance writer, originally from the U.S., now living in Barcelona. He writes about Spanish soccer, namely FC Barcelona and Barça Femeni, on Substack, at <a href="https://barcafemeni.substack.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://barcafemeni.substack.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1699026753084000&amp;usg=AOvVaw14bYDiXeApFrdtb0hLPnFE">La Barça Soc Supporter</a> and appears regularly on <a href="https://twitter.com/TheBarcelonaPod" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://twitter.com/TheBarcelonaPod&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1699026753084000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3pyv2PojdPBZ1Gkv3_aN-S">The Barcelona Podcast</a>. His work has previously featured at outlets including The Blizzard, <a href="https://urbanpitch.com/author/eavanessian/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://urbanpitch.com/author/eavanessian/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1699026753084000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0I4zygG7AmIDTzwXlPE2u_">Urban Pitch</a>, The Squall, Barça Blaugranes, and <a href="https://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/author/emile-avanessian/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/author/emile-avanessian/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1699026753084000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3g0kv0jxafpvL520xVCsVU">Sports Collectors Daily</a>.
Emile also writes about the NBA, at his new outpost League Pass in L’Eixample. His previous work can be found at Forum Blue and Gold and his own site, a living relic of the basketblog era, <a href="https://hardwoodhype.com/the-work" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://hardwoodhype.com/the-work&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1699026753085000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2U949Uf-KXcPwkDPCbW129">Hardwood Hype</a>.

Emile Avanessian

Jonatan Giraldez, Head Coach of FC Barcelona, gestures during the UEFA Women's Champions League group stage match between FC Barcelona and Eintracht Frankfurt at Estadi Johan Cruyff on January 25, 2024 in Barcelona, Spain.

Jonatan Giráldez Is Trading A Golden Past For An Uncertain Future

Head Coach Xavi Hernandez of FC Barcelona looks on during the LaLiga EA Sports match between FC Barcelona and Villarreal CF at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on January 27, 2024 in Barcelona, Spain.

Xavi Writes Himself An Ending

Jurgen Klopp announces he will leave Liverpool in a 25-minute interview

Jürgen Klopp To Leave Liverpool At The End Of This Season

Jordan Henderson of Ajax during the Dutch Eredivisie match between Ajax Amsterdam and RKC Waalwijk at the Johan Cruijff ArenA on January 21, 2024 in Amsterdam, Netherlands.

Saudi Arabia’s Expensive Soccer Experiment Is Already Showing Cracks

Real Madrid players celebrates after Daniel Carvajal goal during the LaLiga EA Sports match between Real Madrid CF and UD Almeria at Estadio Santiago Bernabeu on January 21, 2024 in Madrid, Spain.

Real Madrid Is The Good Guy

Real Madrid players celebrates after scoring a goal during Real Madrid CF v Atletico Madrid - Super Copa de España Semi-Final on January 10, 2024 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

The Saudi Supercopa Is Great In Spite Of Itself

Joao Pedro of Brighton and Hove Albion during the Emirates FA Cup Third Round match between Stoke City and Brighton and Hove Albion at Bet365 Stadium on January 6, 2024 in Stoke on Trent, England.

Brighton Runs On João Pedro Power

Antoine Mille takes a penalty in a Coupe de France match between Chateauroux and Les Herbiers.