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This is Defector, a new sports blog and media company. We made this place together, we own it together, we run it together. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference.

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Defector

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Patrick Redford

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 03: Anthony Martial, Andre Onana of Manchester United walks off during the UEFA Champions League match between Manchester United and Galatasaray A.S. at Old Trafford on October 03, 2023 in Manchester, England. (Photo by Matthew Peters/Manchester United via Getty Images)

Manchester United v Galatasaray A.S.: Group A – UEFA Champions League 2023/24

Soccer

Manchester United Is Back In The Pain Cave

LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 20: Martin Oedegaard of Arsenal celebrates after scoring the team's fourth goal during the UEFA Champions League match between Arsenal FC and PSV Eindhoven at Emirates Stadium on September 20, 2023 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Arsenal FC v PSV Eindhoven: Group B – UEFA Champions League 2023/24

Arsenal’s Return To The Champions League Was Typically Stylish

MANCHESTER, ENGLAND - APRIL 11: Dayot Upamecano of Bayern Muenchen looks dejected during the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal first leg match between Manchester City and FC Bayern München at Etihad Stadium on April 11, 2023 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Michael Zemanek/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)

Manchester City v FC Bayern M√ºnchen: Quarterfinal First Leg – UEFA Champions League

Dayot Upamecano Lived A Defender’s Worst Nightmare

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Luis Paez-Pumar

Mapi Leon of FC Barcelona celebrates with teammates after scoring the team's second goal during the UEFA Women's Champions League quarter-final 2nd leg match between FC Barcelona and AS Roma at Spotify Camp Nou on March 29, 2023 in Barcelona, Spain.

FC Barcelona v AS Roma: Quarter-Final 2nd Leg – UEFA Women’s Champions League

Barcelona Femeni Opened The Floodgates

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>.

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Emile Avanessian

STADIO OLIMPICO , ROME, ITALY - 2023/03/21: Salma Paralluelo of FCB Barcelona celebrates with teammates after scoring the goal of 0-1 during the Women Uefa Champions League quarter finals football match between AS Roma and FCB Barcelona. Barcelona won 1-0 over AS Roma.

Salma Paralluelo of FCB Barcelona celebrates with teammates

Barcelona Femeni Is Ready To Make The Climb

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Albert Burneko

Erling Haaland of Manchester City next to a desperately diving Janis Blaswich of RB Leipzig in Champions League round-of-16

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Champions League

Erling Haaland Is A Bolt, Or Five, Of Lightning

Real Madrid's Welsh forward Gareth Bale celebrates after scoring his team's second goal during the UEFA Champions League final football match between Liverpool and Real Madrid at the Olympic Stadium in Kiev, Ukraine, on May 26, 2018.

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Gareth Bale Always Scored The Biggest Goals

Pedri, Barcelona, reacts to some bad stuff happening in the Champions League

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Pedri Did Everything Right, Except For The Most Important Thing

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Tom Ley

BRITAIN-FBL-EUR-C1-LIVERPOOL-REAL MADRID-FAN

Defector Up All Night

Here’s A Champions League Final And Game 7 Open Thread

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Ray Ratto

Real Madrid CF v Getafe CF – La Liga Santander

Carlo Ancelotti, Everyone’s Cool Soccer Uncle, Just Keeps Winning

Liverpool fans show a Ukrainian flag to indicate peace and sympathy with Ukraine prior to the Carabao Cup Final match between Chelsea and Liverpool at Wembley Stadium on February 27, 2022 in London, England

Chelsea v Liverpool – Carabao Cup Final

European Soccer United In Support Of Ukraine This Weekend

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This Is So Stupid

The Time Has Come For Us To Turn Sports Over To The Animals

Barcelona striker Luuk de Jong, looking confused and helpless against Benfica

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All Of What’s Miserable About Barcelona In 2021 Is Congealed Into The Form Of This Doofus

Jorginho of Chelsea battles for possession with Kieran Tierney of Arsenal during the Premier League match between Chelsea and Arsenal at Stamford Bridge on May 12, 2021 in London, England.

Chelsea v Arsenal – Premier League

The Premier League Top Four Race Is Wide Open Thanks To Jorginho’s Boner

Referee Felix Brych (R) shows a red card to Paris Saint-Germain's Senegalese midfielder Idrissa Gueye during the UEFA Champions League first leg semi-final football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Manchester City at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris on April 28, 2021. (Photo by Anne-Christine POUJOULAT / AFP) (Photo by ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP via Getty Images)

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Savor The Rich Notes Of PSG’s Latest Champions League Meltdown

MADRID, SPAIN - APRIL 27 Christian Pulisic of Chelsea celebrates after scoring their side's first goal during the UEFA Champions League Semi Final First Leg match between Real Madrid and Chelsea FC at Estadio Alfredo Di Stefano on April 27, 2021 in Madrid, Spain. Sporting stadiums around Spain remain under strict restrictions due to the Coronavirus Pandemic as Government social distancing laws prohibit fans inside venues resulting in games being played behind closed doors. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Real Madrid v Chelsea – UEFA Champions League Semi Final: Leg One

CHRISTIAN PULISIC NUMBER ONE USA BABYYYYYYYY

Paris Saint-Germain's French forward Kylian Mbappe, Paris Saint-Germain's Senegalese midfielder Idrissa Gueye celebrate after winning the UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and FC Bayern Munich at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, on April 13, 2021

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PSG Lost When It Should’ve Won After Winning When It Should’ve Lost, And Still Won Anyway

Kingsley Coman of FC Bayern München celebrates scoring the 4th team goal during the UEFA Champions League Group A stage match between FC Bayern Muenchen and Atletico Madrid

FC Bayern Muenchen v Atletico Madrid: Group A – UEFA Champions League

Bayern Munich Looks Set To Steamroll Europe Again