Festival

Five years after Lucas Piazon finally left Chelsea, loan farms are still prominent in European football. Can the past teach us to build a more empathetic future?

Modern football is fast, furious and physical - nowhere more than in midfield. In Italy, a cadre of small, slow playmakers are keeping the flame of romance alight.

As their youth teams claim surprising victories and best talents flood across Europe, scouts are quietly asking: just how excited should we be about Poland?

For years, positional play has had a stranglehold on football tactics. A young German's discordant symphony seeks to topple it.

Now at Chelsea with a freshly slapped head, the little Argentine must prove he has la pausa to cut it in midfield.

Throughout history, coaches have used full-backs to solve problems and push the meta forward. This summer, the tides are changing again.

What we're working on: an announcement