INDIANAPOLIS – Chris Windom will suit up for Hayward Motorsports to drive the No. 19 for the full AMSOIL USAC National Sprint Car Series season in 2020.

Along with Windom, his longtime sidekick and crew chief Derek Claxton will be turning the wrenches on the machine that will carry sponsorship from NOS Energy Drink.

Additional corporate sponsors will be announced by the team during the Performance Racing Industry show this week in Indianapolis.

Windom, the 2016 USAC Silver Crown and 2017 National Sprint Car champion, began the 2019 AMSOIL National Sprint Car campaign in similar fashion with a new team, Parallax Group/Goacher Racing. In their first race out of the box, they won at Bubba Raceway Park in Ocala, Fla.

The Canton, Ill., native aims for a similar grand opening in his new digs with Hayward.

“It came together, I guess you could say, last minute.” Windom explained. “It was Sunday night (on Thanksgiving weekend) that he gave me a call and we chatted for a while. I was at a point right now to where I was unsure with what I had for a sprint car deal next year.  I could’ve stayed with the same deal, but all the logistics weren’t really put together yet.  Brodie called me and basically offered me the full-time deal and to bring Derek along full-time as well. That was something I couldn’t really turn down.

“I know they want to run a top-notch situation over there too.  I think it’s going to be a good deal.”

Windom owns 25 career USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car feature victories, tied for 21st all-time with Steve Butler and Jay Drake. In 2019, with Parallax/Goacher, Windom notched four victories, 22 top fives and 29 top 10s in 34 starts.

Ironically, in last year’s season debut victory, Windom passed the Hayward Motorsports car driven by Kevin Thomas, Jr. on the final lap to score the win.

Windom gained additional victories at Illinois’ Tri-City Speedway, Kokomo (Ind.) Speedway and Gas City (Ind.) I-69 Speedway to round out a year that saw him finish sixth in the final standings.

Hayward Motorsports, meanwhile, had Kevin Thomas Jr. at the controls in 2019 and together, the combo captured a pair of victories during the USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car season at Bloomington (Ind.) Speedway and Lawrenceburg (Ind.) Speedway.

Last week, Thomas announced his return to the KT Motorsports No. 9k for the 2020 USAC season.

Since 2015, Hayward Motorsports has won 13 USAC AMSOIL National Sprint Car feature events as a team, nine with Bryan Clauson and two with Brady Bacon came under the Dooling/Hayward Motorsports banner while Thomas won a pair with Hayward a year ago.

Hayward expects the success to continue with Windom, starting in February in the Sunshine State.

“We’re very excited to bring Chris on board,” Hayward noted. “Chris is a USAC champion and he ran really well this past year. He is always a front runner and we’re glad to have him at Hayward Motorsports in 2020.”

INDIANAPOLIS – Swindell SpeedLab has confirmed a two-car assault for the upcoming Gateway Dirt Nationals and Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals.

The effort will be led by five-time Chili Bowl champion Sammy Swindell, who will once again pilot the team’s No. 1 midget. Joining him in the No. 39 entry will be 2018 USAC NOS Energy Drink National Midget Series champion Logan Seavey.

Both drivers will compete for Swindell SpeedLab during the Gateway Dirt Nationals inside The Dome at America’s Center in St. Louis, Mo., on Dec. 19-21, as well as the Lucas Oil Chili Bowl Midget Nationals in Tulsa, Okla., on Jan. 13-18.

Swindell has proven to be a formidable foe in a midget, winning the Chili Bowl five times between 1989 and his most recent victory in 2009. Seavey, who has spent the last few seasons driving for Keith Kunz Motorsports, earned his first Chili Bowl preliminary night victory in 2019.

Below is the video posted by Swindell SpeedLab announcing its driver roster for both events.

All this news…

We’ve got some too ? pic.twitter.com/UGIdmpYyA7

— Swindell SpeedLab (@SwindellSpdLab) December 9, 2019

PATASKALA, Ohio – Heinricher Racing will return to IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship competition in 2020 with a new-look driver lineup in the GT Daytona class.

The only female-owned team in IMSA competition, Heinricher Racing will again have support from reigning championship team Meyer Shank Racing for the No. 57 Acura NSX GT3, with full-season drivers Misha Goikhberg and Alvaro Parente at the controls.

Trent Hindman will serve as endurance driver for the No. 57 Acura, while AJ Allmendinger will return for the Rolex 24 at Daytona.

In 2019, Jackie Heinricher created and raced the first full season, all-female entry in IMSA history. For 2020, she is focused on raising performance, race pace and consistency, while continuing to pursue her vision of developing young driver talent in the motorsports ranks.

“I was very proud of founding the first all-female driving team to compete for a full season in 2019, proving there is a competitive place for professional women drivers in this sport,” Heinricher said. “Due to unforeseen sponsor circumstances, that team has moved to another manufacturer, but I’m so glad they are able to maintain their driver lineup for a second season. At Heinricher Racing, we’re excited to develop a new team of young drivers, which is a pillar of our commitment to IMSA.”

“It’s great to have Jackie and Heinricher Racing back with us this year,” added Mike Shank. “Jackie put an impressive program together last year and has worked hard to bring this program together for 2020. Jackie is one of the few female leaders in motorsports with a clear, long-term vision of what she wants to accomplish in the sport. This year we are focusing on getting results, podiums and wins for our sponsors Heinricher Racing, and with this lineup we can make that happen.”

Goikhberg will make his GT debut with Heinricher Racing in 2020 after racing in the IMSA Prototype category for the past five seasons.

Goikhberg claimed the 2014 Prototype Lites championship with nine total victories. In 2016, he earned victories at both Daytona Int’l Speedway and Long Beach, closing out the season with a podium finish at the Motul Petit Le Mans and third place overall in the Prototype Challenge championship.

In 2018, he claimed victory at the Sahlen’s Six Hours of The Glen. Altogether, Goikhberg has three IMSA victories and seven podium finishes. He also is a two-time winner of the Jim Trueman Award, which is earned by the top Pro-Am driver in the Prototype field and carries an automatic invite to the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

“I am very happy to join Heinricher Racing with Meyer Shank Racing in the Acura NSX GT3,” said Goikhberg. “I am hoping this is the start of a long-term relationship which will result in wins and championships. 2020’s GTD category is shaping up to be an extremely competitive championship and I am very eager to work with such a talented group of co-drivers. I am grateful to Jackie Heinricher, Michael Shank, Jim Meyer, Acura and HPD for putting together this exciting entry.”

Alvaro Parente will also join Heinricher Racing for the 2020 season after completing a full season in 2018 with MSR in the No. 86 Acura NSX GT3.

That year’s effort saw him claim a victory at WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, a podium finish at the Rolex 24 at Daytona and three additional podiums at Mid-Ohio, Watkins Glen and Road Atlanta.

“2018 with MSR was my first experience racing in IMSA and also with the team, and I learned a few tracks that I didn’t know before, so all was quite new,” Parente said. “It was an extremely successful year right from the start, and I really enjoyed working with everyone on the team. They all have a lot of talent and big ambitions. We were second in 2018 in the Rolex 24, so this year I’m looking forward to finishing one step higher.

“The MSR team is coming off a championship title and that really motivates me.”

PITTSBURGH, Pa. – Selinsgrove Speedway will host the Ultimate Northeast Super Late Model Series for the Showdown on Sand Hill on Aug. 15.

For the third year in a row, the traveling series will return to the Snyder County half-mile clay oval for a 30-lap, $3,000-to-win main event for the super late models.

Joining the super late models on the Aug. 15 racing card will be the PASS/IMCA 305 sprint cars and roadrunners.

In the 2019 “Showdown on Sand Hill” race, Gregg Satterlee jumped out to an early lead before Jared Miley snuck past him on lap 13. After challenging Miley for the top spot late in the race, Satterlee settled for a runner-up finish behind Miley, with Dylan Yoder, Matt Cosner, and Jason Covert trailing them at the checkers.

Other past winners of Selinsgrove’s “Showdown” event include Dylan Yoder (2018), Tim McCreadie (2014), and Satterlee (2013).

Former U.S. international midfielder Sacha Kljestan is set to sign with the LA Galaxy, league sources confirmed to ESPN.

The LA Times' Kevin Baxter was the first to report the news. An announcement is expected later on Monday.

Kljestan, 34, was a free agent after his contract with Orlando City had expired, following a campaign in which he recorded one goal and three assists in 23 league appearances. He is expected to provide midfield depth for a Galaxy side that already features the likes of Jonathan dos Santos, Sebastian Lletget, Joe Corona and Perry Kitchen. Kljestan's brother, Gordon, currently serves as the team's director of soccer operations.

The Huntington Beach native began his professional career in 2006 with LA-based Chivas USA before moving to Belgium with Anderlecht halfway through the 2010 season. He went on to make 180 league and cup appearances with the Purple & White, scoring 25 goals. Along the way he was part of teams that claimed three Belgian Pro League titles as well as four Belgian Super Cups. He also had the distinction of being the rare American to have played in the UEFA Champions League.

Kljestan returned to MLS prior to the 2015 campaign, leading the New York Red Bulls to the Supporters' Shield that year and was named to the MLS Best XI the following season.

Kljestan was traded to Orlando City prior to the 2018 campaign, but he was unable to lift the Lions' fortunes. All told, his time in MLS has seen him make 308 league and cup appearances with 47 goals. He added 97 assists in league and postseason play.

At international level, Kljestan made 52 appearances for the U.S., scoring six goals. At youth level, Kljestan was part of squad that took part in the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup and the U-23 team that played in the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Atlanta United have signed midfielder Emerson Hyndman to a permanent deal, the club announced on Monday.

Hyndman, who had been loaned to United from Bournemouth in July, put pen to paper on a contract that will keep him at the club through 2022.

Staying right here ?@emersonhyndman finalizes permanent transfer with #ATLUTD.

DETAILS: https://t.co/8MQtqbakyv pic.twitter.com/MNKBckaRuY

— Atlanta United FC (@ATLUTD) December 9, 2019

"We're excited to bring back Emerson on a permanent deal," said Atlanta technical director Carlos Bocanegra. "He played an important role in our midfield after joining the team midseason and will add competition and depth to our group as we prepare to play in various competitions in 2020."

Atlanta had held an option to purchase Hyndman's rights at the end of his loan from Bournemouth. The team acquired Hyndman's MLS discovery rights from Dallas for an international roster slot in 2019 and 2020, plus $200,000 in general allocation money.

Hyndman helped Atlanta to U.S. Open Cup and Campeones Cup titles in his brief spell with the franchise. In all, he made 21 appearances for United, scoring three goals and providing three assists.

Hyndman, the grandson of former Dallas coach Schellas Hyndman, joined Fulham's youth academy in 2011 and made his professional debut in August 2014. He signed with Bournemouth on a free transfer in June 2016 and was loaned to Glasgow Rangers and later Hibernian.

He has made two appearances for the senior U.S. national team, but none since 2016.

Missed any of the action around Europe this weekend? Have no fear: Gab Marcotti is here to catch you up with all the talking points in the latest Monday Musings.

Jump to: Manchester derby lessons | City handle Fred abuse | Juve finally lose in Serie A | Bayern undone by 'Gladbach | Messi, Suarez magical | Liverpool keep winning | Leicester still chasing LFC | PSG are rolling | Super Son, Spurs smash Burnley | Can anyone stop Leipzig? | Real rotate, win again | Praise for Joaquin | Napoli mess continues | Are Dortmund "back?" | Tough decisions for Lampard, Chelsea | Milan comeback is on | Villas-Boas impresses

Man United keep it simple to down Man City

We knew Manchester United had pacy, clever strikers and could counterattack very effectively. We knew they were coming off a confidence-building win over Tottenham Hotspur, too; that would matter less at some clubs, but with this manager and this group of younger players, it matters a lot. We knew that Manchester City had blown hot and cold of late, and we knew about their injuries (Leroy Sane, Aymeric Laporte, Sergio Aguero to name but three). But few would have predicted what we saw particularly in the first 45 minutes, when United created a host of chances against an opponent that looked shell-shocked for long stretches.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wasn't particularly sophisticated in Saturday's 2-1 win mainly because he has rather limited options. But then, he didn't need to be. A simple plan, well-executed, can be just as effective as the most innovative tactical blueprint. Having a striker like Marcus Rashford, who only turned 22 on Halloween but plays with intelligence and selflessness (to go with his physical and technical gifts) as well as the maturity that comes from taking on responsibility, makes things a heck of a whole lot easier. This is a different Rashford from the one we saw a few years ago. That one was a kid who thrived as a third or fourth option. This one is carrying the load.

Fred's performance in the middle of the park should also serve as a reminder that rarely do players simply "turn bad." The amount of abuse and criticism he received until recently may have been warranted by his performances, but it was unlikely that there was an absence of quality inside him, quality that, in the right circumstances, could be unlocked.

As for Manchester City, it's pretty evident that some things aren't quite right. The point made all year -- not replacing Vincent Kompany with a live body was a mistake -- still stands. When Laporte got hurt, there was no insurance policy, which means more stress and strain on Nicolas Otamendi, John Stones and Fernandinho. Also, more vulnerability on set pieces and counterattacks.

The injury to Sane, while mentioned less often, has also had a knock-on effect. It means Bernardo Silva having to play wide more regularly which, in turn, means more minutes for Kevin De Bruyne and David Silva in the middle. And that, in turn, means more fatigue, wear and tear and performances like the ones we saw Saturday.

- Ogden: Beginning of the end for Guardiola, Man City?
- Man City ratings: Stones 5/10 in defeat
- Man United ratings: Rashford, 8/10, leads the way

You can poke other holes too (the left-back situation, the fact that Gabriel Jesus' movement is very different from Sergio Aguero's) but perhaps what was most disappointing about Sunday was Pep Guardiola's inability to change things around in the second half. Riyad Mahrez for Bernardo Silva with 25 minutes to go and Ilkay Gundogan for Rodri in the final minutes aren't exactly bold moves. If anything, it felt like he was sending a message to his players: you got yourselves into this, you get yourselves out of it.

It's not a tragedy, it's not a crisis and it doesn't mean City need a massive summer rebuild, as some have suggested. It does mean Guardiola would be wise to make tweaks and figure things out. It's what he did at Barcelona and at Bayern, and it's what made him what he is today.

Credit to Man City for handling Fred abuse quickly

The racist abuse directed at Fred and the missiles thrown on to the pitch were a nasty reminder of what is still out there. What's encouraging is how quickly Manchester City took responsibility, issuing a strongly worded statement minutes after the final whistle, and how quickly the offender was dealt with. Arrested, named, shamed and suspended by his employer within 36 hours. A number of other countries could learn from this.

The objects thrown on the pitch (including the lighter that struck Fred) have received less attention. In fact, they ought to serve as a reminder for the price we pay for the sort of grounds we have in the Premier League. You're close to the action, there are no barriers, it looks wonderful on television and even better in person: equally, you're vulnerable and at the mercy of the occasional pond scum in the stands.

Fred: "Backward society" to blame for abuse

You hope that with all the CCTV and technology in modern grounds, those responsible are identified and punished. After all, if you throw a rock or a bottle at a random guy on the street, you get charged with assault. There's no reason this should be any different.

As for racist abuse, the way to deal with it (and the way many countries deal with it) is to punish the club. Closing that section of the stand for a game would send a message while providing the right incentives, both to City (to ensure their stewards have control) and to supporters in that stand (to help identify those responsible). Mark Ogden suggested on the Gab & Juls podcast that it was unlikely, since the Premier League was wary of showing empty sections of a ground on TV. I hope he's wrong.

Juventus finally exposed in Serie A

It was coming... and it finally came. If you believe performances are predictors of future results, then Juve's Saturday night horror away to Lazio was no surprise.

The game finished 3-1 to Lazio and that was with Ciro Immobile missing a penalty. Juventus actually played better for long stretches of the first half, took the lead through Cristiano Ronaldo and came close to scoring on several occasions. But then Rodrigo Bentancur got injured, Emre Can came in and the lights went out. Lazio equalised just before half-time and, after the break, it felt as if Juve had stayed in the dressing room. Juan Cuadrado got sent off trying to disrupt a counterattack. A sumptuous pass from Luis Alberto (who also assisted on the first goal and has more assists than anyone in Europe's Big Five this season) found Sergej Milinkovic-Savic to make it 2-1. Joaquin Correa won a penalty, which Wojciech Szczesny saved, and Filipe Caicedo added a third for good measure.

Juve's second-half meltdown is particularly disconcerting because it highlights how this team seems to have inherited the bad traits of last year's squad, but without the good traits. After being appointed as manager, Maurizio Sarri said that you wouldn't necessarily be seeing the style of play we witnessed at Napoli and, for most of the season, at Chelsea, because this was a different group of players. But what he has served up thus far is an off-brand version of latter-day Max Allegri, albeit without the cohesion and the mental toughness: unimaginative play, stodginess in midfield and goals that came via individual brilliance and set pieces.

That has to change. Juventus didn't appoint Sarri just to get a bad version of Allegri. They did it to change their style. Sarri isn't doing that and to make matters worse, it's hard to build chemistry when your midfield is a revolving door.

As for Lazio, they're third in Serie A, something few would have expected. At the heart of their success is a front four that is as balanced and versatile as you're likely to find: the presence of Milinkovic-Savic, the delicate passing of Luis Alberto, the trickery of Correa and the goals of Immobile. They have the best attack in Serie A and the second best defense, and they are one of the best counterattacking sides around.

They're for real.

Gladbach take advantage of Bayern meltdown

Here's a reminder that there's some truth in the old cliche about how football is a game played with the brain as much as the feet. Bayern battered Borussia Moenchengladbach on the road and still emerged with a 2-1 defeat that leaves them seventh in the table, seven points off the top. Only once in the previous two decades have they been this low at this stage of the season.

So is it time for Bayern to panic? Not quite, because when it comes to actually playing football, they were the better side and could have been 3-0 up inside half an hour. Thomas Muller contrived to miss a sitter, Robert Lewandowski came close and Joshua Kimmich had a goal denied by goalline technology that, to the naked eye, was in. They eventually took the lead in the second half, but that's when things began to unravel: Ramy Bensabaini's wide-open header levelled the score late on. Whether someone forgot their marking assignments or simply fell asleep is hard to discern. And then, in injury time, the most boneheaded of tackles from Javi Martinez (a guy who, at his age, should know better than to go to ground with a covering teammate right there) gave Gladbach a penalty that Bensabaini converted for the winner.

Up until the equalizer, Bayern had done most things right. They had generated chances despite leaving Serge Gnabry (not fully fit) on the bench. They had snuffed out the threat of the counter, which had driven them bananas the previous week against Bayer Leverkusen. And they had the confidence and self-assuredness of champions.

But then it all crumbled. Hansi Flick complained that it was a re-run of the previous week vs. Bayer Leverkusen and in some ways, it was. But equally, if a tad of nonchalance against Peter Bosz's crew is understandable (not justifiable), this was Gladbach. This was top-of-the-table stuff.

As for Gladbach, manager Marco Rose deserves credit for his change at the hour mark when Breel Embolo came on for Laszlo Benes, giving his team extra oomph on the counter. But, really, this was about Bayern throwing it away and sometimes, you need days like these if you're going to win a title as Gladbach, improbably, hope to do.

Messi, Suarez dazzle for Barcelona

Lionel Messi paraded his newly won Ballon d'Or (only his sixth) around the Camp Nou and scored a hat-trick in Barcelona's 5-2 win vs. Mallorca, but the highlight belonged to Luis Suarez on Saturday night. It's not just the goal, it's the absurd build-up play. But to have the creativity to finish like that -- and let's face it, risk ridicule because mishit backheel chips look really silly -- speaks to what makes Suarez special. His technique isn't always the cleanest, age is catching up, but the combination of rabid hunger, intelligence and imagination are as alive as ever.

Lowe: What Messi's Ballon speech, Fati's new deal means for Barca

Barcelona scored five but they could have managed a lot more. Messi has 14 goals in his last nine games (incidentally, his second, the standard right-to-left shift and pinpoint finish from outside the box was remarkable too, it's just that we've become desensitised to it's brilliance) and Antoine Griezmann is on a nice bounce as well. Pretty much what you want ahead of the rescheduled Dec. 18 Clasico not least because it's at home, where they've generally looked better.

Liverpool keep rotating... and keep winning

Jurgen Klopp is clearly hunkering down for the storm, squirrelling away his acorns by rotating where possible and trying to conserve energy for the barrage of fixtures and travel that awaits his rampant Liverpool team. Thing is, the personnel may change, but results don't. After putting five past Everton in the derby in midweek, they hammered Bournemouth on the road, 3-0.

Liverpool ratings: Salah 8/10 in emphatic road victory

As I see it, it's a necessity given that in certain key positions, Liverpool either have very little cover or cover that's several notches down from first-choice. It's not a knock as most teams are like this: lose a starter, especially one who is particularly gifted or whose skill set is particularly hard to replace, and you pay a price.The interesting dynamic, I think, will come if they advance from their Champions' League group this week.

We know the Premier League is the priority for many fans but if the lead remains huge into the new year, this will enable him ratchet things up a notch in Europe and go for the repeat win as well.

Leicester still on Liverpool's heels

Leicester City are second in the table with a whopping 16 points more than they had at this stage last season. They've won eight straight Premier League games, which has also coincided with Jamie Vardy scoring in each of those eight victories. Inevitably, you wonder whether they can challenge Liverpool for the title -- Klopp's crew are eight points clear, so probably not -- and whether they can sustain if not second place, at least a top-four finish.

If you're of an analytical bent, the fact that Leicester are wildly out-performing xG both in attack (10 goals over) and defence (6 under) suggests, all things being equal (and it's football so often they're not), a regression to the mean. But don't discount the Brendan Rodgers factor. Some managers on a good run simply keep formation and personnel unchanged, operating under the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" model. Not Rodgers. He has used three different formations in the last three games (most recently a diamond midfield in the 4-1 win away to Aston Villa), evidence that he continues to look for an edge -- and avoid complacency -- any which way he can.

PSG struck by injuries in latest win

Paris Saint-Germain came from behind to win at Montpellier, 3-1, in a game that also saw Keylor Navas hit by an object thrown from the stands. PSG took a while to come to life, but a stunning Neymar free kick 15 minutes from time sent them on their way, before goals from Kylian Mbappe and Mauro Icardi.

In some ways, it was a pyrrhic victory as they lost Idrissa Gueye and Presnel Kimpembe to injuries in the first half. It continues to be a stop-start campaign for Thomas Tuchel but judge him (and PSG) in the spring, just like we always do.

Son sensational as Spurs smash Burnley

Tottenham Hotspur bounced back from their midweek defeat at Old Trafford by smacking Burnley around, 5-0. The fact that they recovered so quickly from defeat and avoided conceding two goals for the first time since Jose Mourinho took over was in this case overshadowed by the football, which is both not a bad thing and wholly understandable.

Toe Poke: The best commentary for Son's wonder goal

Meanwhile, Heung-Min Son's coast-to-coast run and finish is the sort of goal that will live on for a long time. Like George Weah's goal in the mid-90s If anything, Son's was even more of an athletic feat (and less of a technical feat, but we quibble) simply because his acceleration was so extreme he didn't have that many defenders to beat. He just soared past them.

Can Leipzig win the Bundesliga? Maybe...

Julian Nagelsmann served up an old-fashioned demolition against his old club, Hoffenheim. Leipzig won, 3-1 but it could have been a bigger margin. This is a team playing with an energy and an intensity few in Europe can match right now. Witness the 32 goals they've scored in their last eight outings in all competitions. It helps too that Timo Werner (up to 17 goals this season) is on fire, with nine in his last five Bundesliga outings.

You feel that only two things can stop them: running out of gas (though the endless German winter break is coming up, which allows for a recharge of the batteries) or sheer dumb bad luck (like against Benfica, when they were dominant but needed injury-time goals to avoid defeat).

Real rotate and keep rolling

No Gareth Bale (who, as the always alert Spanish media pointed out, left the ground with 10 minutes to go) and no Eden Hazard for Real Madrid, but no real problems against Espanyol either. Zinedine Zidane put the teenagers (Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo, 37 years old combined) either side of the old head (Karim Benzema) and Real Madrid rolled to a 2-0 win.

Real Madrid ratings: Benzema 8/10 in classy display

Real Madrid have so many different looks and lineups (Isco and Luka Jovic were unused subs to boot) that it could almost be a double-edged sword. Sometimes when you have too many options, you end up with trial-and-error and pay a natural price in terms of chemistry. Still, it's a problem most managers would love to have, relative to the alternative.

Praise for the ageless Joaquin

Joaquin became the oldest player in the history of La Liga to score a hat-trick (38 years young, eclipsing the legendary Alfredo Di Stefano) on Sunday. That he did it in a mere 20 minutes is remarkable; that it was also his first treble in two decades as a professional footballer equally so.

His story has all the romanticism that the modern game sometimes lacks. He has 51 caps for Spain yet last played for the national team at the age of 26. He was -- scratch that, he is -- the prototypical winger in a game that no longer harbours old-school wide men hugging the sidelines. His touch, elegance and hypnotic dribbles down the flank are the stuff that makes you fall in love with the game. You don't want it to end.

Napoli's crisis continues but Ancelotti is safe (for now)

It's now nine games without a win for Carlo Ancelotti's Napoli, following the 1-1 draw away to Udinese. There are a ton of mitigating circumstances here -- regular readers will know what they are -- and as long as they avoid defeat to Genk in midweek, they'll qualify for the Champions League knockout phase.

However, this may well be the longest winless streak of Ancelotti's career. The fact that he's still in a job speaks to the credit he's built up over the years (and the hefty payout he'd get if he was fired) rather than the future prospects of this team (or, indeed, club president Aurelio De Laurentiis' patience). Right now, there appears to be virtually zero chance of him coming back next season.

Finally, we're seeing the Dortmund we expected to see

Are they back? It wasn't that long ago that Lucien Favre's future at Borussia Dortmund was hanging by a thread. Back- to-back wins -- including Saturday's 5-0 shellacking of Fortuna Dusseldorf -- and suddenly, they're up to third.

Dusseldorf aren't much of a test, but the emphatic win (with Marco Reus and Jadon Sancho each bagging two goals) is particularly significant when you consider the performance (dominant) and the Champions League (imminent). Dortmund need to do better at home to Slavia Prague than Inter at home to an already-qualified Barcelona on Tuesday. That they weren't thinking ahead but focusing on the task at hand is significant given what this team has been through.

Lampard has tough choices to make at Chelsea

I touched upon this last week, but Saturday's 3-1 defeat away to Everton, which makes it one win in five for Chelsea, means Frank Lampard will have some decisions to make. There's no question he's way ahead of the curve, but the reality is that he has a squad filled with gifted players many of whom are of comparable level.

- Pulisic Watch: Bad weekend for U.S. star
- Chelsea ratings: Kepa 5/10 in dispiriting loss

Assessing the form, finding the right mix for the opponent, knowing who to bet on and when isn't easy, but it's part of the growth of any manager. That said, the sooner Antonio Rudiger comes back to full fitness, the better.

Bonaventura returns and Milan click into winning gear

Stefano Pioli's Milan won back-to-back games for the first time as the rossoneri took three points from Bologna, 3-2, this weekend. Performances had improved under Pioli quicker than the results, so perhaps it's not surprising. But two factors stood out that bode well for the future.

One is the return of "Jack," aka Giacomo Bonaventura, who isn't just a cult hero but is arguably Milan's best two-way midfielder. He gives the team a lift and is willing to take chances to a degree that some of his teammates often are not. The other is the performance of Krzysztof Piatek. Regular readers will know I find him somewhat limited, but given Pioli's options (or lack thereof), he's going to start (at least for now). And that's why it's hugely encouraging that he showed confidence and self-belief in winning, and then converting, the opening penalty.

Piatek probably isn't the long-term answer but Milan need the version on display in Bologna if they're going to get something out of this campaign.

And finally... Villas-Boas continues to impress

One of the big knocks on Andre Villas-Boas during his time at Chelsea and Tottenham were his man-management skills. His tactical nous, though often outside-the-box, was fine, but there was a sense that he failed to connect with certain players and couldn't get the best out of them. Yet his season at Olympique Marseille thus far suggests that he has grown tremendously (either that or the previous criticism was unfounded).

OM beat Bordeaux 3-1 to make it six straight wins in Ligue 1 and they're second in the table. All this after a summer that, because of Financial Fair Play, saw them add just three players and with Florent Thauvin (arguably their MVP last year) having played just 11 minutes. AVB's stock is very much on the rise again... and he's only 42.

The South African Cricketers' Association (SACA) will not engage with Cricket South Africa's negotiating panel if it includes any members of the current board. In a statement released on Monday, three days after CSA CEO Thabang Moroe was suspended and an interim administration headed by Jacques Faul was appointed, SACA again called for the entire board to step down, although they have agreed to dealings with Faul. CSA confirmed to ESPNcricinfo that Faul would be meeting SACA on Wednesday.

"SACA has noted the appointment of Jacques Faul, as the acting chief executive, and is prepared to deal with him in good faith in order to attempt to resolve as many as possible of the current crises affecting the players. SACA will not, however, lend credibility to the Board of CSA by dealing with a 'negotiating panel' if this comprises any Board members," Tony Irish, the SACA CEO, said.

"Cricket has been severely damaged by its own leadership and the game desperately needs the right people in whom the cricket stakeholders, including the players, can trust in attempting to fix as much of the damage as possible."

SACA has two ongoing disputes with CSA: a court-case relating to the proposed restructure of the domestic system and a commercial rights issue in which players' have been used in a fantasy cricket game, allegedly without the proper permissions. When Faul was appointed in an acting capacity on Saturday, CSA President Chris Nenzani identified fixing the organisation's relationship with SACA as a "matter of urgency".

"It is very important for us to normalise relations at that level and talk to the players so that we have a common approach and a common understanding on the way of doing things going forward. That matter is going to be attended to. This is part of engagement which CSA will be having with SACA as a matter of urgency. It is important that these two organisations, CSA and SACA, get to a point where all the issues that seem to be vexatious between us and them are handled and are dealt with in a manner that is very professional and conclusive," Nenzani said.

The Members' Council - made up of the 14 provincial presidents some of whom also sit on the CSA board - mandated the board to "fix this relationship with SACA," through a negotiating panel. The members of this panel have yet to be decided but SACA has made it clear they will not have any dialogue if CSA board members are included. SACA has demanded the board be held equally responsible as Moroe for the myriad crises enveloping CSA at the moment which range from financial issues to staff suspensions.

"We are astounded that the Board of CSA which has led the organisation during a tumultuous period when all this has happened now refuses to take responsibility for the deep, deep crisis in which cricket finds itself. No one disagrees with the removal of the chief executive, but to suggest that the buck stopped with him alone, and for the Board to cling so desperately to power, is a matter for serious concern," Irish said.

SACA claims the board were complicit in ignoring the player body's concerns, especially as they relate to the domestic restructure. CSA's members' forum are advocating for the dismantling of the current six-team franchise and 14-team provincial structure and reverting to a 12-team provincial set-up thus operating with only one tier in domestic cricket. SACA argue that around 70 cricketers will lose their jobs as a result. SACA launched a court application in May this year to ask CSA to show cause for its plans to restructure the set-up, and believe it then "became incumbent on the Board to, at very least, take a good look at the risk that this presented to the organisation, and to the game, and to deal with it expeditiously. Instead, however CSA delayed the proceedings for months and its answering papers were only filed at court in November 2019."

CSA's court documents were submitted after SACA and CSA agreed a roadmap in August which SACA accuses CSA of not honouring. "There was a refusal to follow up on the agreement, despite several requests to do so by SACA. The president himself eventually replied to SACA some seven weeks later stating that CSA would not enter into such agreement with the players' association, effectively scuppering any chance of resolving these issues for the players," Irish said.

While responding to SACA, CSA reiterated that they had made a "renewed commitment" to work with all stakeholders, but indicated that the Wednesday meeting with SACA would have Faul alone. "CSA has noted the statement released by SACA earlier today. We would like to emphasise that CSA is currently undergoing a process of renewal and revival and in the best interest of the sport of cricket, we have made a renewed commitment to work with all key stakeholders in the cricket fraternity, including and especially SACA. Dr Faul is scheduled to meet with SACA this Wednesday, 11 December and we will advise any important details after that meeting. We reiterate that Dr Faul has been fully mandated in his role as Acting CEO to take a lead in addressing issues raised by SACA towards a healthy relationship between the two parties."

Nasir Jamshed, the former Pakistan batsman, will be sentenced in February after pleading guilty to a conspiracy to bribe fellow cricketers in the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

Jamshed, 33, was given a ten-year ban by the PCB in August 2018, and is standing trial at Manchester Crown Court, following his arrest in February 2017 alongside two UK nationals, Yousef Anwar, 36, and Mohammed Ijaz, 34.

On the opening day of the trial, Jamshed chose to change his plea, having originally entered a not-guilty plea at a pre-trial hearing last week, after his two co-defendants admitted offering financial inducements to PSL players, with a view to them under-performing during various matches in the tournament.

Opening the case for the prosecution, Andrew Thomas QC told how an undercover police officer infiltrated the spot-fixing network, and secured an initial meeting with Anwar, by posing as a member of a corrupt betting syndicate.

His investigations identified an attempted fix during the Bangladesh Premier League in 2016 and an actual fix in the PSL fixture between Islamabad United and Peshawar Zalmi in Dubai on February 9.

Jamshed, acting as the go-between for the PSL game, persuaded Sharjeel Khan to play out two dot-balls to order from the first two balls of Islamabad's second over. Sharjeel was later banned for five years by the PCB.

The court heard how Jamshed himself had been the intended fixer during the BPL contests, when he and Sharjeel were both playing for Rangpur Riders.

However, the first attempt was called off when Jamshed did not give all the pre-arranged signals - which included the use of certain coloured batting grips. And a second attempt against Barisal Bulls was cancelled after he was dropped for what was the final match of the season.

The court also heard how Jamshed's co-defendant, Anwar, had first met the undercover officer at a hotel in Slough in November 2016, where he said he had been involved in spot-fixing for ten years, and claimed to have six players working for him in the BPL.

A second meeting, at a restaurant in Birmingham in January 2017, resulted in Khan and his Islamabad team-mate, Khalid Latif, being lined up for the next fix in the PSL.

The prosecutor added that Latif's bag had been searched upon arrival from the UK to Dubai, and a number of coloured grips were found. He was also banned for five years by the PCB.