NEW YORK -- Carlos Beltran was back in familiar blue pinstripes Monday, buttoning up a New York Mets uniform while standing next to his new boss, Brodie Van Wagenen.

The first-time manager is taking over following a tenuous season at Citi Field, and his plan to calm the clubhouse works from the top down. That means Van Wagenen isn't just getting a new employee.

"When you're a manager, literally, your GM has to be your best friend," he said.

Beltran was introduced as Mets manager by Van Wagenen and Mets Chief Operating Officer Jeff Wilpon during a news conference in Queens. Beltran, who spent seven of his 20 seasons as a player with the Mets, identified inconsistency as the culprit for New York's rocky and disappointing 86-win season.

His solution: More cool-headed communication.

That's been an issue in Flushing. Recently fired manager Mickey Callaway was fined by the Mets for cursing out a beat reporter in June, and the next day, it took him two news conferences to issue an apology. Star pitcher Noah Syndergaard was irked when private conversations with the front office about his battery preferences became public in September.

And of course, there's the time Van Wagenen threw a chair in frustration during a meeting with the coaching staff before the All-Star break.

Van Wagenen thinks this hand-picked manager -- he inherited Callaway when he moved from player agent to GM last fall -- can clean up behavior behind the scenes.

"It was important for all of us in the ownership group and the baseball operations department to feel like we could exhale when we walked into the manager's office," Van Wagenen said. "We didn't want to inhale in anticipation of conversations.

"Instead, we wanted to feel comfortable, we wanted to feel welcome and we wanted to feel in partnership with the manager. We can trust Carlos, and that goes a long way."

Van Wagenen and Beltran spoke on the phone for 30 minutes before the interview process even began. A nine-time All-Star during 20 seasons as a player, Beltran was recommended highly by Mets assistant GM Allan Baird and special assistant Omar Minaya based on prior relationships.

Even though he's never managed, the 42-year-old from Puerto Rico made the Mets confident he was ready for the role over the course of five more interviews.

"My time one-on-one with Carlos was really the key in terms of my comfortability," Van Wagenen said.

Beltran retired as a player after helping Houston win the 2017 World Series and took a job before the 2019 season as special adviser with the New York Yankees. He worked closely with longtime general manager Brian Cashman, sitting in on crucial front office meetings and routinely operating as a bridge between number crunchers and the clubhouse.

"I went to the Yankees' organization willing to learn," he said.

He plans to be player-friendly -- "I'm not a rules person" -- and also wants to work closely with the analytics department. Based on his experience with the Yankees, he's seeking every edge available, even if it involves a little gory math.

"I like to call it information," he said. "It's going to be a collaboration."

Beltran has spoken to other former players-turned-first-time managers, including Boston's Alex Cora and the Yankees' Aaron Boone. They told him to "be authentic" and boosted his confidence about his readiness.

Even with that, Beltran is seeking a veteran coaching staff to cover for his inexperience at that end of the bench. He's working with the front office to select coaches now. The team is uncertain when that process will be completed.

"I do need experience, and there's no doubt about that," Beltran said. "We are reaching out. We're going to reach out to coaches that have experience, but most importantly, I don't want to bring names, I want to bring guys that are passionate."

Beltran and Van Wagenen declined to say whether former manager Terry Collins was a candidate to be bench coach, but Beltran said he's already spoken to Collins and will use him as a mentor whether he's on staff or not. Beltran played half a season under Collins in New York and said he'd draw from the 70-year-old's energy as inspiration. Collins is currently a special adviser to Van Wagenen.

WHEEL'S UP

Van Wagenen confirmed the Mets will extend a qualifying offer to starting pitcher Zack Wheeler. If Wheeler declines the one-year, $17.8 million offer and signs with another team, New York would receive a compensatory pick in next June's amateur draft. Van Wagenen said the Mets will try to re-sign the right-hander even if he declines the qualifying offer.

Righties Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman are working this offseason to pitch in the rotation next year, Van Wagenen said. The club hopes to add pitching, but whether that's in the rotation or the bullpen may depend on whether Wheeler returns and where Lugo and Gsellman ultimately fit.

Van Wagenen also said improved defense is a priority. New York ranked 29th out of 30 teams with minus-93 defensive runs saved.

"We're going to be creative with the roster," he said.

YO, WHAT'S UP?

Van Wagenen said he's uncertain whether injured outfielder Yoenis Cespedes will play in 2020. Cespedes broke his ankle in May while recovering from surgery on both heels and has been out most of the past two seasons. The 34-year-old is entering the final season of a $110 million, four-year contract.

The Milwaukee Brewers freed up salary space on Monday by trading right-hander Chase Anderson to the Toronto Blue Jays and declining the 2020 option on first baseman Eric Thames.

In exchange for Anderson, who is scheduled to be paid a base salary of $8.5 million in 2020, the Brewers received minor league infielder Chad Spanberger from Toronto. Spanberger, 24, will be assigned to Double-A Biloxi, the team announced.

The Brewers paid Thames a $1 million buyout instead of exercising his option, which was worth $7.5 million.

The Brewers also picked up the 2020 option of catcher Manny Pina, worth $1.85 million.

Anderson, who turns 32 later this month, was second in innings pitched for the Brewers last season, finishing with 139. He was 8-4 with a 4.21 ERA. Overall, he is 53-40 with a 3.94 ERA in six major league seasons.

Thames hit 25 home runs for Milwaukee last season and hit .247 with 61 RBIs in 149 games. The 32-year-old veteran has 93 career home runs in five major league seasons.

SAN DIEGO, Calif. – Dylan Lupton has signed a sponsorship agreement agreement with Shreddy Lyfe Clothing for the final two NASCAR Gander Outdoors Truck Series races of the year, beginning with Friday night’s Lucas Oil 150 at ISM Raceway.

Shreddy Lyfe Clothing, a San Diego-based Calif. lifestyle clothing brand will serve as the primary marketing aboard the No. 5 DGR Crosley Toyota Tundra entry at ISM Raceway as well as next Friday night’s season-finale from Homestead-Miami (Fla.) Speedway on Nov. 15.

“We are stoked to be the exclusive apparel marketing partner for Dylan Lupton for the remainder of the 2019 season while already looking ahead to 2020,” said James Johnson, global sales and marketing director for Shreddy Lyfe.

“Dylan is a perfect fit for Shreddy Lyfe and relates not only to our brand but our customers as well. We are focused on building our Shreddy Racing division with Dylan on and off the track. He is a class act and talented race car driver and look forward to seeing our relationship enhance.”

Lupton, a native of Wilton, Calif. will make his sixth Truck Series start of the season in this weekend’s penultimate race of the year. The 22nd race of the season will be his fifth race with DGR-Crosley where he has achieved one top-five and three top-10 finishes in four races thus far.

“I am very excited and honored to announce my partnership with Shreddy Lyfe Clothing,” said Lupton, a NASCAR Next alumnus. “We’ve been working on this for a while and I’m thrilled to bring their style to NASCAR. I’m eager to see this partnership evolve.”

INDIANAPOLIS — Tony George called the sale of his family’s legacy — Indianapolis Motor Speedway — bittersweet.

Most of us in the motorsports never really considered a day when the Hulman-George family didn’t own the historic 2.5-mile race track that opened for business in 1909 and ran the first Indianapolis 500 in 1911.

But George and sisters Josie, Kathi and Nancy did and sought out a high-profile and fitting buyer in 18-time Indy 500 winning team owner Roger Penske, who has agreed to purchase Hulman & Co., the parent company of IMS and IndyCar, under the Penske Entertainment Corp. banner.

With the sale expected to close in January, Penske takes over from the Hulman-George family, which has operated the facility since George’s grandfather, Anton Hulman, purchased the track, which was in a terrible state of disrepair in 1945.

Tony Hulman has been hailed for decades as the speedways savior and his grandchildren are giving it a business transformation in the form of Penske’s operation.

It wasn’t a decision George took lightly.

“Over the course of business through the years, we’ve always looked at strategic opportunities, things we might be able to do to grow and expand our capabilities here,” George explained. “We’re a 169-, almost 170-year-old business and we’ve been in a lot of different businesses during that time. We’ve been distillers, we’ve been brewers, we’ve been grocers, we’ve been produce, canned goods, just about everything, financials, utilities.

“But in 1945, in fact about two weeks, 10 days from now, it will be 74 years since that last transition of stewardship took place and we’re very proud to have come together the last several months, I think, to make some very important decisions, one about an iconic asset that the family cares very deeply about, as well, and that’s Clabber Girl baking powder,” George continued. “But now this one is extra special to all of us because we’ve all grown up around it.”

George hasn’t known a life without Indianapolis Motor Speedway being part of it.

“Nancy and I, we came home from the hospital to home just right down the street here, so we’ve literally grown up around it.” George said. “Our kids and grandkids have done the same. It’s bittersweet, but very exciting for us because we know that we’re passing the torch to an individual who has created an organization that is not only dynamic but it’s ideally suited, I think, to take over the stewardship, a corporation that is family-involved, much like ours. But with a track record that is really without compare.”

George said his family decided it was the right time to sell Hulman & Co.

“Well, it’s obviously emotional, emotionally difficult, hence the choking up,” George said. “But we all love it and we all care deeply for it. I think we all realize that as a family and as an organization, we probably had taken it as far as we can.

“I think that Roger, his structure, his resources, his capabilities that he demonstrates is only going to take this to another level, so that’s what we’re all about,” George said. “We’re supporting that continued — elevating this asset and staking a new claim on its future. We, with emotion, are happy to be here today.”

Penske said there is a chance the Hulman-George family may retain a minority interest in IMS, and that’s a prospect Tony George found interesting.

“We’re just fortunate that our family and our family business has had a 73-year run being part of it and being a steward, and we continue to be grateful for the opportunity that we may have going forward, and I for one intend to take advantage of it,” George said. “We’ll be here supporting the events with teams. Maybe our little team can expand to do other things, which we’re going to need to do.”

On Monday the entire motorsports world was shocked to find out 18-time Indianapolis 500 race winning car owner Roger Penske had acquired not only Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but also the NTT IndyCar Series.

SPEED SPORT President Ralph Sheheen and SPEED SPORT Editor Mike Kerchner sat down moments after the formal announcement at Indianapolis Motor Speedway to discuss the landmark news and what it means for Indianapolis Motor Speedway and the NTT IndyCar Series going forward.

LSU outside linebacker Michael Divinity has left the team for personal reasons, coach Ed Orgeron confirmed Monday.

Orgeron said he would not "close the door" on Divinity returning to the program later this season. LSU announced the senior's departure five days before the top-ranked Tigers' showdown with No. 2 Alabama.

A source told ESPN's Ed Aschoff that Divinity left the Tigers last week. He had five tackles and a sack in LSU's most recent game, a 23-20 win over Auburn on Oct. 26.

Despite missing three games already this season, Divinity leads the Tigers with three sacks. He is the second upperclassmen to leave LSU in recent days for personal reasons, joining junior defensive lineman Justin Thomas.

Divinity did not play in LSU's season opener against Georgia Southern or the Tigers' third game against Northwestern State because of what the team classified as coach's decisions.

He picked up an ankle injury against Vanderbilt on Sept. 21 and then did not play in the next game against Utah State after a bye week, before returning against Florida.

Divinity tied for the team lead in sacks in 2018, but he has played a reduced role this season because of the return of top edge pass-rusher K'Lavon Chaisson and the emergence of Jacob Phillips and Patrick Queen at inside linebacker spots.

Orgeron said LSU "should be fine" against Alabama because Chaisson takes the majority of snaps at the position Divinity also plays, and the coach expressed confidence in backups Andre Anthony and Ray Thornton.

Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Florida State athletic director David Coburn said Monday that he made the decision to fire coach Willie Taggart after 21 games because they did not see an advantage to waiting until the end of the season.

Coburn described an emotional conversation with Taggart on Sunday when he delivered the news, adding he had to take into account not only a lack of progress on the field but financial considerations that made it untenable for Taggart to stay in the job.

Taggart went 9-12 at Florida State, and the Seminoles need wins in two of their final three games just to gain bowl eligibility. They are currently 4-5 with a road trip to Boston College on Saturday, then games against Alabama State and No. 10 Florida.

"Frankly, 6-6 isn't good enough," Coburn said.

Coburn said he and Taggart held "explicit conversations" about the expectations at Florida State, and what needed to be done to improve his job security. Coburn pointed to the 27-10 loss to Miami this past Saturday as the final straw, comparing the performance to a season-opening 24-3 loss against Virginia Tech in 2018.

"There's a lot of ways to measure what was happening with the team," Coburn said. "I thought that at the beginning of the season we were making progress. Clemson was a disappointment and I just felt and the president felt since then we just have not looked very good."

Though Coburn was not ready to discuss the financial ramifications, he said the buyout paid to Taggart would be in the $18 million range but that discussions are ongoing and there is no timeline for a settlement. Asked how a cash-strapped athletic department could make the decision to pay out such a large number to move on from its head coach, Coburn discussed lagging season-ticket sales and booster contributions as being large factors.

"It was not an easy decision," Coburn said. "You have to look at season- ticket sales, renewals, new tickets moving forward. Obviously those are tied to booster contributions to the annual fund. You're looking at the implications for concessions, parking, you look at that vis-a-vis the cost of a buyout, cost of a new coaching staff, you have to make a decision."

Coburn said the university would hire a search firm to help find a new coach, and the Florida State boosters would also play a role in the decision. Former Florida State athletic director Stan Wilcox did not use a firm when he hired Taggart in December 2017. Wilcox stepped down from his job to join the NCAA eight months after he hired Taggart, and after a lengthy athletic director search, Florida State opted to go with Coburn, who came over from university administration.

Besides financial considerations and the notion that any new coach coming in won't be given enough time to rebuild, what could complicate the coaching search is long-term stability at the top. Both Coburn and Florida State president John Thrasher are not expected to still be in their positions in the next two to three years. The newly created Florida State University Athletics Association, which now includes both the athletic department and Seminole Boosters, adds a wrinkle that hasn't been a part of any previous coaching search. Coburn said the new FSUAA wouldn't have a huge impact on the way the search is conducted, though he did say the Boosters would be involved.

When asked what he's looking for in his next head coach, Coburn said, "We're looking for somebody that can win national championships. I'm going to look at every option I can find. We're going to win. We're going to get back to the standard of Florida State University football."

Coburn would like to have someone in place by the end of the season, if not before, in the hopes of saving the recruiting class by the early signing date in December.

Going into last weekend, the Seminoles had the No. 13-ranked recruiting class, which was up from the 22nd-ranked class in 2019, but a few commitments have already jumped ship.

Jacksonville, Florida, three-star cornerback Derek Bermudez was the first to decommit on Sunday, announcing he will still stay in touch with the staff but he is reopening his recruitment. Georgia athlete Isaiah Dunson, a four-star recruit, decommitted on Monday and was followed by ESPN 300 running back Jaylan Knighton.

The decommitment from Knighton stings as he is the 88th-ranked recruit overall and was the second-highest-ranked commitment in the class for Florida State. The staff is left with 17 total commitments in the class, eight of which are ranked in the ESPN 300. Interim coach Odell Haggins was on the phone into the early hours of Monday morning trying to keep the Florida State class together.

But he also has to keep the current team together. Haggins has experience in this regard, having served as interim head coach when Jimbo Fisher left with one game left in the 2017 regular season. With bowl eligibility on the line, Florida State beat ULM 42-10 and then won its bowl game to save a 7-6 season.

The Seminoles appeared to be a transformed team under Haggins, and that is the hope now that he takes over with three games to play. Haggins, who played at Florida State and has spent 26 years at the school as an assistant, wouldn't discuss the myriad problems that have plagued Florida State on the field this season and opted instead to look ahead to Boston College.

But he did say the team had a good day of practice on Sunday.

"We're moving forward," Haggins said. "Thinking about Boston College, how we're going to plan for them and what are we going to do that's what Willie Taggart would want. He wouldn't want you sulking and crying, he would want you to move forward."

Coburn said Taggart declined the opportunity to meet with the team on Sunday. Coburn and Haggins did instead, and he said players handled the news "like champions."

"We're going to fight," Haggins said. "We're unconquered. Exactly what I told them and that's what they need to hear. They're our kids, and they're going to fight to uphold Florida State University."

ESPN's Tom VanHaaren contributed to this report.

Napoli players will remain sequestered at the club's training centre until Sunday following a run of poor results, club president Aurelio De Laurentiis has said.

Carlo Ancelotti's side have not won for three matches in Serie A and Saturday's 2-1 defeat to Roma saw them drop to seventh in the Serie A table.

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De Laurentiis has decided to take the squad into ritiro -- a fairly common reaction to a poor run of form in Serie A, where players remain on lockdown at the club's training centre for a pre-determined length of time.

"The players will be in ritiro until Sunday, before the call ups for their relevant national sides," De Laurentiis told Radio Kiss Kiss. "Ancelotti is a great manager and a gentleman.

"I have no reason to expect anything more from him. The problem, as far as I am concerned, can only be solved within the group, in the sense that it is not a job which relies on a manager but a blend.

"The players need to find the motivation not just to take on Liverpool or Salzburg, where they have reached their level, which is the reason they were bought and [shows] how they have matured in recent years."

Speaking ahead of the Champions League clash with FC Salzburg, Ancelotti said he was not on board with the decision to go into ritiro.

"The club have taken the decision and we will accept it," Ancelotti said. "But if you ask me whether I agree with it, I would say no."

Napoli have won once in the league since Sept. 29 and recently lost a 2-1 lead to draw 2-2 against Atalanta late on, moments after the referee failed to award them a penalty for a foul on Fernando Llorente.

The controversial penalty decision was even debated in the senate in Italy and De Laurentiis was again critical of the standard of refereeing in Serie A.

"Referees should be managed by the league," he added. "They should all be young, foreign and well paid.

"After three grave errors, they should be taken out of the firing line."

Towards the end of last season, Milan players were ordered into ritiro, while Roma had also done the same earlier in the campaign.

LAFC forward Carlos Vela has been voted MLS MVP, according to a source with knowledge of the situation.

The LA Times was first to report Vela winning the award. A formal announcement is set to take place later on Monday.

The honor caps off an outstanding season for Vela, who broke single-season records for goals with 34 as well as combined goals and assists with 49. Vela had 14 goals and 13 assists in 2018, his first in MLS after arriving from La Liga side Real Sociedad.

His production -- he scored in 25 of his 31 appearances -- helped LAFC claim the Supporters' Shield with a league-record 72 points, though the Black and Gold fell short of their ultimate goal, losing in the Western Conference finals to the Seattle Sounders 3-1.

Vela easily outdistanced the competition, garnering 69% of the vote over runner-up Zlatan Ibrahimovic of the LA Galaxy.

Ibrahimovic enjoyed a spectacular season of his own with 30 regular-season goals, but garnered just 14% of the vote. Atlanta United's Josef Martinez, the 2018 MVP, was third.

Missed some 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: Bayern reboot without Kovac | Balotelli abused | Liverpool, Man City slipping? | Roma add to Napoli woes | Andre Gomes' serious injury | Barca slump at Levante | Dortmund fight back | No progress at Man United | Sociedad are for real | De Ligt is Juve's hero | What is Emery doing? | No positives for Real | Leipzig score eight! | Berlin derby drama

Kovac era finally ends at Bayern

The fact that Nico Kovac's future was in doubt after a season during which his team won the Double -- and knowing that had the right candidate been available, Bayern would have replaced him in June -- makes what happened Sunday rather less surprising.

Kovac and Bayern parted ways -- sources close to him say he offered his resignation and they did nothing to persuade him other ways -- and while it's tempting to point to the 5-1 humiliation they suffered on Saturday at the hands of Eintracht Frankfurt, it goes well beyond that.

This team has struggled both to play well consistently and to develop an kind of identity. When they have won big, it has been often either down to the futility of the opposition or because they simply have far better individuals than the opposition. This is what happens when you're one of the four richest clubs in the world. Plus, of course, this season he's also had the benefit of an out-of-this-world Robert Lewandowski, whose absurd torrid scoring streak continued this weekend: he's up to 20 goals in 16 appearances across all competitions.

That's why you can't simply look at results when judging a manager's work. And the question you should ask isn't "is this guy hitting his targets?" but rather "can we get somebody else to do the job better?"

Did Kovac have mitigating factors? Sure. He spent the summer building a certain type of team and then had Philippe Coutinho dropped in the middle of it, two weeks after the start of the season. Coutinho's a great player, sure, but entirely different from the one who had been earmarked for that role. Injuries didn't help either, especially at the back, where he lost Lucas Hernandez and Niklas Sule for the long term. Handling Thomas Mueller and his "managed decline," whether real or imagined, was also something he probably would happily have done without.

Then there's the long shadow of Pep Guardiola, against whom all subsequent Bayern coaches (including Carlo Ancelotti) have been judged. It's a tough standard to live up to and as often happens, there's a fair amount of rose-tinted spectacles at play here.

Bavarian media make a big deal out of this, how the players supposedly felt Kovac's training sessions and approach were unimaginative and amateurish compared to Guardiola's, though that seems a bit of a cop out, too: Guardiola left in 2016, which means less than a third of the squad actually worked with him. But hey, it's Bayern. You'll always be benchmarked against their illustrious past (and Guardiola is a part of that). It's not supposed to be easy. It's supposed to be hard and Kovac simply didn't show that his work was going in the right direction.

Now the focus shifts to his successor. The usual suspects are out there and, on paper, the most illustrious names don't appear a great fit: Arsene Wenger is used to having near-total control, which is a non-starter at Bayern, Max Allegri is supposedly on sabbatical this season (and his football is hardly Guardiolaesque) while Jose Mourinho (come on now...) is also "available."

Then there's Erik ten Hag, who spent time as a youth coach at Bayern and is a better fit in some ways, but getting him out of Ajax in midseason seems a long shot. Plus, lest we forget, this time 12 months ago there were some in Amsterdam calling for his head.

The other plausible big name is Ralf Rangnick, who has sort of had a long-distance flirtation with Bayern for much of his career and who would, ideologically, match where Bayern want to be. He oversees all the Red Bull clubs right now in a director of football role. Again, you'd be talking about forcing a mid-season move, which is never easy, plus you risk running into a Wenger issue: would you accept lack of total control and big personalities like Uli Hoeness in your grill when you're in your sixties?

Bayern have appointed Hans-Dieter Flick as interim boss. He was Jogi Low's long-time assistant with Germany and has the appropriate level of gravitas. He was on Kovac's staff, albeit only since the summer so he's not necessary tainted either. The best thing Bayern could do right now is leave it in Flick's hands for as long as you can while you find a long-term solution. Which, if results and performances turn around, might end up being Flick himself.

Balotelli abused in Verona. Will proper punishment follow?

It happened again. Ten minutes or so into the second half of Brescia's match away to Verona on Sunday, Mario Balotelli was subjected to monkey noises while he dribbled close to the corner flag. On television and for most in the ground, the abuse was inaudible. Plenty nearby heard it, however, and it's chronicled on video taken from the stands. He reacted by smashing the ball into the stands and looking as if he was going to walk off the pitch.

The whole incident felt familiar and again, we heard the same arguments.

Verona coach Ivan Juric said "it didn't happen, it's lies and s---." (We'll give him the benefit of the doubt that you didn't hear it -- most did not -- but maybe next time, since you're not omniscient, simply say "I didn't hear it" rather than instantly blaming the victim.")

Verona president Maurizio Setti said "our fan base isn't racist but if it happened, I apologize to him, we'll take action. But we can't screen 20,000 people."' (Enough with the "if it happened" crap. The laws are pretty clear. You're responsible for the behaviour of the people to whom you sell tickets. If you don't like it, go find something else on which to spend your money.) And because stories like this quickly go global, the counterpunching, via social media and elsewhere soon followed.

Yes, Balotelli did the right thing by addressing the issues and even scoring a goal. (Brescia ultimately lost, 2-1.) But whether or not he scores or plays well is not the "best response" to racist abuse. It's not a response at all. It's a guy doing his job.

If there is a shred of comfort to be taken here, it's that referee Maurizio Mariani did exactly what he was supposed to do. He didn't hear the abuse himself but it was quickly reported to him and he applied the protocol (which, in Serie A, is just two steps rather than three). He suspended the game, he called the players to the middle of the pitch and the loudspeaker announced that if it continued, everybody would walk off and Verona would forfeit the game. It did not happen again.

Too often referees in Serie A have been unwilling to apply the protocol. Which, while not perfect, is the best tool to achieve the immediate goal: ensuring players are not racially abused on the pitch. It's critical that they be supported in this for the simple reason that not every target of abuse has the standing of a Balotelli. And by putting his faith in the protocol he's sending a crucial message: let's trust in this and let's report abuse when it happens because the referees and institutions will back us up.

Now, of course, it's up to the institutions to their part. Legally, responsibility rests with the Italian FA's disciplinary office. That's not encouraging because it means a slow-moving, bureaucratic mess. Given that sanctions are based on the percentage of a particular stand that is involved, it looks unlikely that there will be any partial stadium closure, let alone a full one.

While we wait for them to fix their broken system (or not), it's critical that others step up. The league should exercise its influence over clubs, particularly guys like Juric who spout nonsense. Maybe even take legal action against them for hurting the brand. The FA is rumoured to be working on a plan to install enhanced CCTV, body cameras and drones to identify individuals. That's a start -- though again, nobody is holding their breath -- but it will be meaningless if it's not followed by action.

These are complex issues without easy fixes. Knee-jerk carpetbaggers swooping in with instant burn-it-all-down solutions (and then swooping out) are almost as damaging as those who perpetually misunderstand the issue, not just in Italy but across Europe. You may want to listen to the podcast we did with FARE's Piara Powar, whose organisations studies the subject. . Or you can sit at your keyboard and tap away angrily.

Are Liverpool, Man City slowing down?

With less than a week to go to the top-of-the table, Jurgen Klopp vs. Guardiola Premier League extravaganza, both Liverpool and Manchester City had to come from behind to seal all three points. And it's not the first time either that they're showing signs of wear.

Manchester City went a goal down at home to Southampton and Sergio Aguero's equaliser 20 minutes from time was their first shot on target before Kyle Walker scored the winner in a 2-1 victory. Liverpool had to wait even longer after conceding to Aston Villa away: Andy Robertson (three minutes from time) and Sadio Mane (in injury time) turned it into a 2-1 win of their own.

There's a tendency to talk about how wonderfully resilient these two teams are in scoring late goals, especially ones that appear "lucky." Some on social media trotted out the old line "the more I practice, the luckier I get," which is another way of saying they outwork teams. Maybe so, but it could also just be a numbers game.

It's true that they score a disproportionate number of goals (one fifth of their league total) after the 75th minute, but so do most teams. It's just the nature of the sport: well, that and the fact that it includes injury time at the end of games. Liverpool and City score more than most and win more than most, therefore it's not surprising they score late. It could be down to some magical mental toughness or it could be down to opponents tiring (which is what happens against more technically gifted sides), but equally it could simply be down to the fact that they're better and more likely to score at any point in the game, including the final 15 minutes.

It's also worth noting that while these turned out to be tight games, they were one-way traffic for most of the match. And in Liverpool's case especially -- think Bjorn Engels' handball and Roberto Firmino's disallowed goal -- it came down to marginal officiating/VAR calls.

Roll on Sunday's meeting at Anfield.

Drama at Roma overshadows impressive win

Verona wasn't the only Serie A ground where the anti-racism protocol was used. A portion of the Roma support sang offensive songs about Neapolitans during Roma vs. Napoli on Saturday and referee Gianluca Rocchi did what he was supposed to do: halt the game, take the players into the center circle and have the stadium loudspeaker announce the match will be abandoned if it happens again.

The protocol for this is the same as for racism, homophobia and anti-Semitism. In other words, the laws are tougher than elsewhere but it does you no good to have tough laws if you're unwilling or unable to apply them.

On the pitch, Roma's bounce-back continued as they won 2-1. Necessity is the mother of invention and Paulo Fonseca's decision to use Gianluca Mancini in midfield continues to pay dividends. As for Napoli, this was a step back compared to recent outings in which they played well but struggled to capitalize. All of it is catching up with them as they slip out of the top four.

A word on Andre Gomes

Andre Gomes' injury was a chilling reminder in Sunday's 1-1 draw between Everton and Tottenham that this is an athletic pursuit and a contact sport, with the risk of catastrophic injury is ever-present. Careers can end in a blink of an eye, which is why you pray that we'll see him out there again soon.

The horror of the moment and maybe the harsh reminder of the above helps explain the reaction of Son Heung-Min and others immediately after it happened. It's maybe a sign of the times that Son's state of mind received almost as much coverage as Gomes' condition. (On Monday, it was confirmed he'd be out until next season following a successful surgery on his fractured ankle.) Maybe it's because we can all relate to Son to some degree more so than Gomes' plight, which is the sort of horror we'd rather not contemplate.

Barcelona slump at Levante

It looked like Barcelona were on a mini-streak, with seven straight wins across all competitions and just four goals conceded. But it came crashing down away to Levante in the form of a 3-1 defeat that saw them concede three times in seven minutes.

Blame individual errors -- mostly from Gerard Pique, who turned in once of his worst outings in recent memory -- and blame Ernesto Valverde, who seemed to underestimate the opposition in leaving out Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets. It's nothing terminal; they have the tools to bounce back right away. But they've now lost as many games (three) as they did in La Liga all season last year. And they'll be without the injured Luis Suarez until after the international break.

Maybe Dortmund aren't finished yet...

It says a lot about the compressed, chaotic nature of the Bundesliga that Borussia Dortmund -- who had won once in their last five and, more importantly, had generally been poor for the past six weeks -- can win a game and leap into second place. That's the good news: everything is wide open both domestically and in Europe. That, and a second half that saw them turn it around against previously undefeated Wolfsburg and go on to a 3-0 win without Paco Alcacer, Jadon Sancho and Marco Reus (who went off injured within half an hour).

The flip side is that it took them ages to break down a deep-lying Wolfsburg side. And while Thorgan Hazard is showing signs of life, defensively there are still issues. Lucien Favre celebrated his birthday over the weekend: that second half may have been the perfect gift ahead of a massive week which sees them take on Inter in a key Champions League game and then travel to face a Bayern side in flux next Saturday.

Solskjaer's running out of excuses

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer called Manchester United's 1-0 defeat at Bournemouth "a step back." Implied, you'd assume, was that he considered what came before -- a home draw with Liverpool and road victories against Partizan, Norwich and Chelsea -- to be a step forward. It wasn't. In fact, it wasn't much of anything unless all you judge is the scores.

Man United's draw with Liverpool featured the sort of defend-and-counter football you can play against big teams and nobody else. Beating Norwich away worked because Daniel Farke tries to play like a big team with ordinary players. Winning at Partizan had two guys making their first start and, at best, five regulars. Chelsea away was B-team Carabao Cup nonsense.

Bottom line? Bournemouth away was a far better test. Premier League midtable talent and a manager who will throw curveballs to gain an edge. And United turned in an uninspired performance, losing 1-0. The focus ought to be on days like this rather than the endless excuses about the number of transfer windows Solskjaer needs in order to turn things around. Right now, simply executing and showing a coherent approach would be enough of a turnaround.

Real Sociedad are a legit title contender

It's true: Real Sociedad are for real. And not just because, after winning 2-1 at Granada, they sit atop La Liga alongside Barcelona and Real Madrid (who, of course, have a game in hand due to their rescheduled clasico). More telling is the fact that they play with a delicious blend of energy, toughness and, yes, fun.

They went away to Granada without Martin Odegaard (not just their star player, but arguably the Player of the Year in La Liga thus far) and gritted out a huge 2-1 win. Scan the team and what strikes most is that beyond a genuine gem of a young winger (Mikel Oyarzabal), the side is full of talented guys who failed to make the grade elsewhere and now have a point to prove: Odegaard, Mikel Merino, Willian Jose and Alexander Isak.

They're hungry and, to paraphrase Eagles lineman Jason Kelce, "hungry dogs run faster."

De Ligt in the headlines as Juve win Turin derby

It's becoming a weekly thing. Matthijs de Ligt is a big boy with big arms and, as such, he seems to have a penchant for getting his limbs in the way of shots. It happened for a fifth time in the derby against Torino. Unlike some of the previous calls, the referee was correct not to award a penalty partly because his arm was closer to his body and partly because there was a deflection immediately before.

De Ligt earned his bacon at the attacking end, scoring in a tight 1-0 derby win against an uncompromising opponent. Cristiano Ronaldo was quiet, Juve were patchy and this felt like the sort of victory they would often get under Max Allegri. There's nothing wrong with that, as long as it doesn't become a habit.

What is Emery doing at Arsenal?

Every week that passes, you understand Unai Emery less and less. Against Wolves at home, he gave Mesut Ozil his first league start since mid-September and the German played 90 minutes for the first time in nearly six months. It finished 1-1 and while Emery talked about how the game was "equal" and Arsenal didn't concede much, the numbers say otherwise: they were out-shot 24-10 and the xG favoured Wolves by some margin.

Whether it was an olive branch for Ozil or some sort of restructuring of the side, it's tough to see how this ends. It's also counter-intuitive to add an €80m winger (Nicolas Pepe) and then have no place to play him because Ozil mandates that you line up in a midfield diamond.

Trust in Unai, but still...

Another rough weekend for Real Madrid

A scoreless home draw against Real Betis -- who had taken just four of the previous 15 points at stake and whose manager, Rubi, seemed on the verge of the sack -- is nothing to write home about and a spurned opportunity to leap to the top of La Liga for Real Madrid.

Then again, in terms of performance, there were plenty of positives. Eden Hazard continues to grow and the much-maligned (by some) Thibaut Courtois pulled off an outstanding save. There's stuff to work on -- I'm not sure about the continued insistence on Rodrygo in the front three while Luka Modric, making his second start of the season, isn't yet what he was -- but it's by no means a tragedy.

Can Leipzig really win the Bundesliga? (Answer: yes)

Leipzig put eight goals past Mainz just a few days after scoring six (away) to Wolfsburg in the German Cup. Timo Werner scored a hat-trick and set up another three goals in the process. Take it with as much salt as you like, but remind yourself that this is Julian Nagelsmann's first season in charge.

When they turn the screws and ratchet up the intensity, few teams in Europe are as relentless as Leipzig. That's the Rangnick way, though it can also be a double-edged sword over a long season. Keeping them ticking over while playing at this pace all year long will be a challenge, but also, possibly, the key to a Bundesliga title.

Berlin derby full of drama on and off the pitch

There's a rich history to the Berlin derby and a significance that goes way beyond football and into politics, culture and the madness of the cold war. So it's not surprising that the first meeting between Union and Hertha happened this weekend amid massive hype and anticipation.

The game itself was humdrum -- Union won 1-0 -- the spectacle in the stands showcased some of the best of German fan culture right now, light years from the corporate atmosphere in so many grounds elsewhere. On the flipside, it also features excesses: the game was halted when Hertha supporters fired flares on to the pitch.

Can you strike a balance or are they two sides of the same coin? I don't know, but I sure as heck hope somebody figures out how to do it.