Ralf Rangnick Will Manage Manchester United. For Now.

By BY RORY SMITH from NYT Sports Rangnick, an architect of the Red Bull soccer empire, will take over as United’s manager while the club pursues a permanent replacement for Ole Gunner Solskjaer.https://nyti.ms/3CRcaBU

Transfer Rumors From Another World

By BY RORY SMITH from NYT Sports Talk about stars headed to Barcelona and Real Madrid conveniently leaves out an important fact: Neither club can afford them at the moment.https://nyti.ms/3CsClyw

What’s a Soccer Player Worth? Italy’s Regulators Are Asking.

By BY TARIQ PANJA from NYT Sports The authorities in Italy are investigating dozens of transfers involving top clubs. In doing so, they might pull back the curtain on accounting practices that defy easy explanation.https://nyti.ms/3nknq4W

Life After Leo

By BY RORY SMITH from NYT Sports The departure of Lionel Messi shook Barcelona to its foundations. But on a good day, if you look closely, you can see the shoots of a new era.https://nyti.ms/3C3OHxD

Cherish the Feel-Good Stories. They Won’t Last.

By BY RORY SMITH from NYT Sports Enjoy the underdogs now, because money will restore Europe’s usual order soon enough.https://nyti.ms/3mmsc0q

In One Moment, Messi and P.S.G. Make It All Work

By BY RORY SMITH from NYT Sports The Lionel Messi goal that completed a Champions League win over Manchester City offered a flash of his past, and a glimpse of his new club’s future.https://nyti.ms/3m0K1BS

At Barcelona, a Feeling Worse Than Sadness

By BY RORY SMITH from NYT Sports The Camp Nou’s reaction to a humbling defeat in the Champions League was a measure of how far and how fast a mighty team has fallen.https://nyti.ms/3CkzzLT

When a Fairy Tale Is Disputed Territory

By BY RORY SMITH from NYT Sports Sheriff Tiraspol, a team from Moldova (sort of), has made the Champions League. But whether the club’s story is wonderful or worrying depends on the light.https://nyti.ms/2Xsn425

Messi, Mbappé and Running Out the Clock

By BY RORY SMITH from NYT Sports Lionel Messi moved to P.S.G. because Barcelona couldn’t stop him. Kylian Mbappé may have to stay put because his club holds all the leverage.https://nyti.ms/2URD4JM

UEFA Plans $7 Billion Pandemic Relief Fund for Clubs

By BY TARIQ PANJA from NYT Sports European soccer’s governing body will give cash-strapped teams access to their future earnings from club competitions like the Champions League.https://nyti.ms/3gdVWdg

The Case for a 32-Team Euros

By BY RORY SMITH from NYT Sports Given the depth of quality in Europe, a small expansion (and a simpler format) could make for a much better tournament.https://nyti.ms/3jcP6as

At Euro 2020, a Reminder That Good Can Be Great

By BY RORY SMITH from NYT Sports Holding national teams to club standards spoils the fun of international tournaments like the Euros and Copa América.https://nyti.ms/3vAVM4F

Is the final Christian Pulisic’s big moment?

By BY ANDREW DAS from NYT Sports The American midfielder helped deliver Chelsea to the Champions League final. But will he play in the game that matters most?https://nyti.ms/3yLPDp6

The Game of Tomorrow, Today

By BY RORY SMITH from NYT Sports Seismic shocks to European soccer’s landscape have turned Saturday’s Champions League final between Manchester City and Chelsea into a sign of things to come.https://nyti.ms/3vqXFlg

After Stumbling to the Finish Line, Liverpool Struts Across It

By BY RORY SMITH from NYT Sports A win at Anfield guaranteed the club a place in the Champions League next season, but only a brief respite before it plunges into soccer’s new reality.https://nyti.ms/3bOiP51

The Super League Thought It Had a Silent Partner: FIFA

By BY TARIQ PANJA from NYT Sports Publicly, soccer’s global governing body criticized a breakaway European Super League. Privately, it had held talks for months with the founders about endorsing the competition.https://nyti.ms/3f8n4ut

The Fall Guy

By BY RORY SMITH from NYT Sports Andrea Pirlo was given a difficult task and failed at it. But if Juventus misses out on next season’s Champions League, it won’t be entirely his fault.https://nyti.ms/3htSc9g

A Barcelona Star on Style, Substance and Another Champions League Final

By BY TARIQ PANJA from NYT Sports Lieke Martens and Barcelona will face Chelsea on Sunday. Both have their sights set on raising the standard for success in the women’s game.https://nyti.ms/3flxLZp

Champions League Final Is Moving to Portugal

By BY TARIQ PANJA from NYT Sports Istanbul is in lockdown and England wouldn’t bend on travel restrictions, so European soccer’s governing body will take its showcase game to Porto, Portugal.https://nyti.ms/3fgdT9N

Soccer’s Breakaway Teams Are Now at War With One Another

By BY TARIQ PANJA from NYT Sports Real Madrid, Juventus and Barcelona are threatening to extract damages from their former partners in a doomed European Super League.https://nyti.ms/3tuk3bJ