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BERLIN — Bayern Munich travel to Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League last 16 on Tuesday knowing defeat in the tie will represent a failed season regardless of domestic triumphs.

After Saturday’s home defeat of Bochum, Bayern manager Julian Nagelsmann cut a frustrated figure and looked anything but a coach who had just masterminded another week atop the Bundesliga table with a comfortable 3-0 home win. 

“There was too little movement” the 35-year-old said, promising “if we play like that on Tuesday, we won’t go any further [in the Champions League].”

Nagelsmann even threw a little warning to his starting XI on Saturday, saying his team “only got better after the 60th minute [when] the substitutions brought fresh momentum”.

“That’s when we earned the result, not before. We have to improve before Tuesday.”

Battle of superclubs

The reality of the super-club era is that domestic success will matter little for Nagelsmann — just like his PSG counterpart Christophe Galtier.

Other managers have been shown the door at Bayern for less. 

Niko Kovac was fired the year after winning the league-cup double with the side still in Champions League contention — Bayern eventually lifted the trophy later that season under Hansi Flick. 

Even big-name European specialist Carlo Ancelotti was sacked by Bayern after the club lost 3-0 away at PSG in 2017 — and that was in the group stages. 

Despite romping to their 10th-straight title in 2021-22 Bayern’s season was viewed internally as a failure due to the shock Champions League quarterfinal elimination at the hands of Villarreal. 

Nagelsmann, then in his first season at Bayern, may have escaped most of the blame, but the situation will be different should the side be eliminated at the round of 16 stage this time, regardless of the quality of the opposition. 

Bayern have struggled since the resumption of the league after the winter break as three successive 1-1 draws allowed surprise challengers Union Berlin to cut their lead atop the league table to one point.

However, Nagelsmann has maintained a steadfast focus on their French opponents. 

When PSG announced Kylian Mbappe could miss the first leg after the star striker went down with injury, an unusually testy Nagelsmann accused the French champions of mind games.

“What it says on the [PSG] website is vague. If it’s not a structural injury, I can’t imagine him missing the game. I’m preparing for the match as if he is going to play,” he said.

‘It’s finally time’

Nagelsmann’s players have talked a different game ahead of the crucial clash by expressing their enthusiasm for the tie and doubling down on Bayern’s European pedigree. 

Midfielder Leon Goretzka said he was glad the wait to face PSG was over. 

“We’ve been buzzing since the release of the draw... all of Europe is hot for this game [and] now it’s finally time.”

Two-time Champions League winner Thomas Mueller backed his side “to show up, to be there”.

“When the tension rises, that’s when it matters.”

Former Man City winger Leroy Sane said his side would not be overawed by the “big names in their ranks”, saying simply “we know what to do”.

“I am always optimistic. Bayern has always delivered in this competition. 

“We know our strengths and we have to call on them. Our team consists of great footballers. We are defensively stable and up front it’s all about one thing — attack.”

LEEDS, United Kingdom — Erik ten Hag hailed Marcus Rashford as one of Europe's best forwards after his late goal inspired Manchester United's 2-0 win against old rivals Leeds on Sunday.

After Rashford scored to spark United's comeback from two goals down in Wednesday's 2-2 draw with Leeds, he tormented the Yorkshire club once again.

Rashford netted with 10 minutes left at Elland Road to make it four successive Premier League games with a goal for the England forward, who has scored in eight of his last nine appearances in the competition.

Following Alejandro Garnacho's frustrated reaction to being substituted on Wednesday, the Argentine teenager made amends as he came off the bench to seal United's hard-fought victory five minutes after Rashford's goal.

Asked if Rashford is among the best in Europe, Ten Hag said: "He's definitely one of them. He has the skills. I was convinced from the first moment.

"I was really excited to work with him. Yeah, I thought I could get more out of him.

"When he is keeping the investment and keeps the focus in every game and brings the energy and belief, he will keep scoring."

United's win was just their second in their last five league games, although they have now lost just once in their last 17 matches in all competitions.

Ten Hag's side moved up to second place, although Manchester City would go back above them if they beat Aston Villa later on Sunday.

More importantly, United are seven points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham in the race to qualify for the Champions League via a top-four finish.

The clash was marred by offensive taunts from the stands, with Leeds fans singing about the 1958 Munich air crash that killed several United players and their rivals in the away end responding by chanting about the deaths of two Leeds fans in Istanbul in 2000.

Both clubs condemned the chants and the Premier League said: "The League is treating the issue of tragedy chanting as a priority and as a matter of urgency."

Fourth bottom Leeds are without a win in their last nine league games and would drop into the relegation zone if Everton beat Liverpool on Monday.

Since sacking Jesse Marsch on Monday, Leeds have seen their move for Rayo Vallecano boss Andoni Iraola blocked by his club, while Feyenoord's Arne Slot and West Brom's Carlos Corberan ruled themselves out of contention.

Leeds chief executive Angus Kinnear insists the search is "well advanced", but Michael Skubala was in charge for a second game on a caretaker basis.

Bitter rivals 

Amid a cacophonous noise at Elland Road, Leeds made a frenzied start, with Crysencio Summerville firing over after a mistake from United left-back Tyrell Malacia.

In keeping with the aggressive tone of one of English football's bitterest rivalries, there were early bookings for Summerville and Leeds teammate Junior Firpo for a pair of crude fouls.

Bruno Fernandes wasted a golden opportunity when he ran clean through on goal after Max Wober's mistake, only to shoot straight at Illan Meslier.

After scoring United's equaliser against Leeds in midweek, Jadon Sancho had been rewarded with his first league start since October, but the England forward was largely anonymous and came off after an hour.

United defender Diogo Dalot almost ended the stalemate with a fierce strike against the bar from the edge of the area.

David De Gea had to make a smart save with his foot to deny Summerville's drive from a tight angle before United finally made the breakthrough in the 80th minute.

Luke Shaw whipped over a teasing cross and Rashford found space to thump in a powerful header from 10 yards, with the forward's 21st goal this season surviving a VAR check for offside.

Garnacho put the result beyond doubt five minutes later when he surged into the area and shot past Meslier via the near post.

MANCHESTER, United Kingdom — Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola said he has no intention of leaving the English champions after the club were charged with more than 100 breaches of financial rules by the Premier League.

City could face points deductions or even relegation from the English top flight if they are found guilty of the alleged breaches, between 2009/10 and 2017/18, by an independent commission.

Guardiola has previously said he would walk away if he found he had been lied to by the City hierarchy over allegations that they broke financial fair play rules.

However, the City boss, who has won four Premier League titles in the past five years, said he believed the latest case would end in the same manner as a previous UEFA charge.

City were banned for two years from UEFA competitions in February 2020 by European football’s governing body for “serious financial fair play breaches”, but the sanction was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport later that year.

“My first thought is that we have already been condemned,” Guardiola said at his pre-match press conference on Friday, ahead of Sunday’s clash with Aston Villa.

“In case we are not innocent, we will accept what the judge or the Premier League decide. But what happens if in the same situation that [the] UEFA [case] happened, we are innocent? What happens to restore or pay back our damage?”

Guardiola recently extended his contract at the Etihad until 2025. His seven-year stay in Manchester is already the longest of his managerial career.

“I’m not moving from this seat. I can assure you more than ever I want to stay,” he said. “Sometimes I have doubts because seven or eight years is a long time but now I don’t want to move on.

“People say ‘they lied to you’. They didn’t lie to me. Look what happened at UEFA.

“Now it is the same case. Why should I not trust my people and trust the other CEOs of the other clubs?”

Self-interest

Guardiola believes the self-interest of City’s Premier League rivals is behind the charges.

“They open a precedent now, with what they have done to us,” he said. “Be careful in the future because many clubs can make suggestions and a lot of clubs can be accused, like we are accused, without being innocent.

“When they push to get rid of us, it is obvious they believe we didn’t behave properly. We can accept that, but let us defend [ourselves].”

City have not been their usual force on the pitch in recent weeks, with three defeats in their past six matches, and they trail Arsenal by five points at the top of the Premier League.

But he does not believe the off-field drama will distract his players ahead of a crucial period.

City face Arsenal on Wednesday before a return to Champions League action the following week against RB Leipzig.

“It hurts when they want to take out what we won on the pitch,” said Guardiola.

“When it happened on Monday, [there was] a lot of rumours, noise. I had a feeling when the games are coming back everyone is going to do the job they have to do. The players on the pitch and the lawyers in the court.”

RABAT — Real Madrid reached the Club World Cup final with a 4-1 win over Egypt’s Al Ahly on Wednesday in Morocco, thanks to Vinicius Junior, Fede Valverde, Rodrygo and Sergio Arribas’s goals.

The European champions took the lead just before half-time with a Vinicius chip and then Valverde smashed in the second soon after the break.

Madrid endured a nervier spell than they would have liked after Ali Maaloul earned the 10-time African Champions League winners a foothold in the game from the penalty spot.

Luka Modric missed a late penalty for Los Blancos, perhaps distracted by laser pointers shone at his face from the stands, with Mohamed El Shenawy saving his effort.

Rodrygo added a cool finish in stoppage time after a slick combination with Dani Ceballos and youngster Arribas wrapped up the win.

Madrid will face Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal, who beat Copa Libertadores winners Flamengo, in Saturday’s final.

“I thank my team-mates who are helping me in this moment, which is not so good,” said Valverde, who is reported to be suffering some personal problems away from the game.

“They are always there to give me some words of encouragement.

“It was very special to score the goal and celebrate with them, now we have to rest and work well to win the final.”

Carlo Ancelotti’s side, record four-time Club World Cup champions, hoped the tournament would be a welcome distraction from their domestic struggles.

On Sunday they fell eight points behind La Liga leaders Barcelona, suffering a 1-0 defeat at Real Mallorca.

However, the Spanish giants struggled to get going at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, without injured stars Karim Benzema and Thibaut Courtois among others.

Ancelotti was able to start defender David Alaba for the first time since injury.

Al Ahly, who beat MLS side Seattle Sounders and Auckland City on the way to the semifinals, stayed tight at the back and Madrid toiled to break them down.

Vinicius fired wide from a tight angle and Rodrygo hit the post with a dinked effort after pressing well to win the ball back.

Just when it seemed like former Austria coach Marcel Koller’s side were poised to reach half-time with honours even, Mahmoud Metwaly miskicked, allowing Vinicius to rob him and run through on goal.

The Brazilian carefully lofted the ball over El Shenawy to break the deadlock, welcome respite after his hounding by Mallorca players at the weekend and suffering further racist abuse.

Paying the price

Valverde doubled Madrid’s lead at the start of the second half, taking one fine touch to control a loose ball in the box and then blasting home with his second.

The Uruguayan has not been playing well since returning from the World Cup and Madrid will hope his first goal since November can help him find the rich vein of form he was enjoying before the tournament.

Madrid were denied a penalty to wrap the game up when Vinicius was felled in the area but VAR did not correct the referee’s decision to award a corner.

Then Eduardo Camavinga, playing at left-back again, was penalised for tripping Hussein El Shahat in the box at the other end and Maaloul sent Andriy Lunin the wrong way from the spot.

Afsha should have levelled for the underdogs but powered a golden chance over the bar after receiving a cut-back in the middle of the box.

Al Ahly, unbeaten all season in the Egyptian Premier League, were made to pay when Rodrygo and substitute Arribas struck in stoppage time to seal Madrid’s victory.

After dropping away from Barcelona in La Liga and losing in the Spanish Super Cup against their eternal rivals in January, Madrid took a step away from crisis talk with this victory.

Their next goal is lifting the second trophy of their season on Saturday against Al Hilal, having won the European Super Cup in August.

LOS ANGELES — Klay Thompson flirted with breaking his own single-game three-pointer record before settling for 42 points as the Golden State Warriors routed the Oklahoma City Thunder on Monday.

Long-range specialist Thompson drained 12 shots from outside the arc with a vintage exhibition of shooting to power the Warriors to a 141-114 win.

Thompson looked poised to beat his own NBA mark of 14 three-pointers in a single game, set in October 2018, but came up just short before exiting to a standing ovation at the Warriors Chase Centre.

Thompson’s red-hot shooting was part of a stunning performance from three-point range by Golden State. 

The Warriors finished with 26 threes from 50 attempts — just three shy of the all-time single-game record of 29 set by Milwaukee in 2020.

Thompson received scoring support from Jordan Poole (21 points, 12 assists and four rebounds) and Andrew Wiggins (18 points) as the Warriors shrugged off the injury absence of Steph Curry to score a resounding win.

Afterwards Thompson admitted he was hoping to have remained in the game before being withdrawn by Warriors coach Steve Kerr late in the fourth quarter.

“I was campaigning for it — but we’ve got a quick turnaround with a game on Wednesday,” said Thompson. 

“And I don’t think the basketball gods like it when you chase records. Gotta let those happen organically,” he added.

In Portland, the on-fire Milwaukee Bucks rolled to an eighth straight win to move within striking distance of Boston at the top of the Eastern Conference.

Brook Lope scored 27 points while Giannis Antetokounmpo added 24 in a 127-108 Bucks win over the Trail Blazers.

Damian Lillard led the Portland scoring with 28 points.

In Detroit, Jayson Tatum’s 34-point haul led the way as the Boston Celtics tightened their grip on the top spot in the Eastern Conference with a 111-99 win over the Pistons.

Tatum, who is averaging more than 30 points per game this season, also added 11 rebounds and six assists as the Celtics improved to 38-16 at the top of the East.

Tatum received scoring support from Derrick White with 23 points, while Robert Williams III and Sam Hauser each added 15 off the bench as Boston bounced back from last Friday’s surprise defeat to Phoenix.

Tatum ‘wakes up’

Boston ace Tatum had struggled in the defeat to Phoenix, shooting only 3-for-15 from the field. 

That poor outing looked to be haunting Tatum in the first half against Detroit as he made only 3-for-13. 

But Tatum clicked into gear with an 18-point third quarter to guide Boston to victory.

“I just had to wake up a little bit,” he told NBC Sports after the win. 

“I started off a little slow and I just had to get myself going. Because in the first half, I was stinking it up.”

Tatum, meanwhile, was pleased that Boston appeared to have bounced back after a recent dip in form that had seen them lose four of their previous six games.

“We haven’t been playing as well as we’d like to lately,” he said. 

“Just had to respond and keep in mind what the goal is and keep working towards it.”

Elsewhere on Monday, the Cleveland Cavaliers made it three consecutive wins in a wire-to-wire 114-91 win over the Washington Wizards.

Cleveland’s balanced offense proved too much for Washington, with all of the Cavs’ starters finishing in double digits.

Jarrett Allen and Darius Garland finished with 23 points apiece, while Donovan Mitchell scored 21.

In Brooklyn, meanwhile, Nets guard Cam Thomas erupted for 47 points, but it was not enough to prevent the home team slumping to a 124-116 defeat to the visiting Los Angeles Clippers.

Thomas led the scoring with a total that included seven three-pointers, but Brooklyn were outgunned by a Clippers team hitting form at the right time.

Veteran Paul George nailed 29 points for the Clippers, with Kawhi Leonard adding 24. 

Ivica Zubac chipped in with 19 points and hauled down 12 rebounds for Los Angeles, who are fourth in the Western Conference.

BARCELONA — Barcelona stretched their La Liga lead over Real Madrid to a substantial eight points with a comfortable 3-0 win over Sevilla on Sunday.

The Catalans, aiming to win their first Spanish title since 2019, punished second-placed Madrid for their 1-0 defeat by Real Mallorca earlier on, opening up a wide gap ahead of their rivals.

However, coach Xavi Hernandez said Barca would not allow any “euphoria” to creep in, urging his players to shut the door on a potential Madrid comeback.

“They are still the favourites because they are the reigning La Liga and Champions League champions,” said Xavi.

“I know that Real Madrid will keep competing until the end. There have been historic comebacks, we can’t let that happen.”

After a tight first half Jordi Alba broke the deadlock before the hour mark, with further goals from Gavi and Raphinha helping wrap up the win.

The victory was their 10th in their last 11 league games, while Barca are now unbeaten in 15 matches across all competitions.

Xavi’s side have conceded just seven goals in La Liga this season, with this their 15th clean sheet.

Barcelona’s gameplan was initially set back when captain Sergio Busquets was forced off with an ankle sprain after just four minutes, replaced by Franck Kessie.

Jorge Sampaoli’s Sevilla, 16th after a dismal start to the season, sat deep with five defenders and looked to frustrate the Catalans.

Eventually Alba pounced with a tidy finish after a superb assist from Kessie.

Raphinha teed up Gavi for the second with a raking low pass that left the youngster with a tap-in at the back post.

The Brazilian winger provided the cutting edge on a slick 17-pass team move for the goal, in an impressive outing in place of the injured Ousmane Dembele.

Alba crossed for Raphinha to finish from point-blank range for the third goal, wrapping up a satisfying day for the hosts.

Sevilla’s former Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic was serenaded by home fans, but left dismayed at his team’s lack of intent.

“I think that to be able to take something from Camp Nou, you have to be a lot braver,” the Croatian told DAZN.

Frustrated Vinicius

Real Madrid’s hopes of retaining the La Liga title were dented in their defeat by Javier Aguirre’s determined Mallorca, in which Marco Asensio missed a penalty.

Nacho’s 13th-minute looping header into his own net separated the teams in a hard-fought clash, frequently slowed by various fouls from the hosts.

Amid a constant battle between winger Vinicius Junior and Mallorca’s players and supporters, the islanders held off Los Blancos to record an impressive victory.

Vinicius suffered 10 fouls and Mallorca committed 29 in total.

“I think everything that is happening and has happened is not Vini’s fault, Vini just wants to play football, and beyond that, there’s an atmosphere of provocation,” explained Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti.

“They foul him, that is what is happening.”

Real Madrid were without goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, hurt during the warm-up, along with the injured Karim Benzema, Eder Militao and Ferland Mendy, among other absentees.

The match was heated from the start, largely due to historic bad blood between Vinicius and Mallorca.

After Nacho’s early own goal Vinicius was booked for stepping on Pablo Maffeo’s foot, leaving the Brazilian incredulous after various fouls against him had not been punished with a card.

Vinicius pulled at the Madrid badge on his shirt while looking at the home fans to agitate them further.

Early in the second half Mallorca captain Antonio Raillo responded by offering Vinicius the Mallorca badge on his shirt to kiss.

Madrid had a golden chance to level before the hour mark when Mallorca goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic brought down Vinicius, but the Serbian denied Asensio from the spot.

Madrid will have to put defeat behind them quickly as they travel to Morocco midweek to take part in the Club World Cup.

Real Sociedad, third, could not cut their six-point deficit on Madrid as they lost 1-0 at home against Real Valladolid.

Earlier Valencia, 17th, fell to a 1-0 defeat at Girona, who kept their first clean sheet of the season.

PARIS — Lionel Messi scored a superb second-half winner as a Paris Saint-Germain side missing the injured Kylian Mbappe and Neymar came from behind to beat Toulouse 2-1 on Saturday and consolidate their lead at the top of Ligue 1.

Dutch midfielder Branco van den Boomen gave mid-table Toulouse the lead at the Parc des Princes from a 20th-minute free-kick, only for Achraf Hakimi to curl in the equaliser with half-time approaching.

Messi then put PSG in front just before the hour mark with a glorious first-time strike on his left foot low into the corner of the net from just outside the area.

It was Messi’s 10th Ligue 1 goal of the season and his 15th for his club this campaign, as the World Cup winner stepped up in the absence of PSG’s two other superstar attackers.

The Qatar-owned club are now eight points clear at the top of the table from Marseille, who play Nice on Sunday and then host PSG in the French Cup last 16 in midweek.

Mbappe will miss that game and the Champions League last-16 first leg against Bayern Munich on February 14 after being ruled out for three weeks with a thigh injury suffered in the 3-1 win at Montpellier last Wednesday.

Neymar missed a second successive game with an apparently minor adductor problem, meaning it was left to Messi to lead the attack alongside the 20-year-old Hugo Ekitike with support from Vitinha and Carlos Soler.

But Christophe Galtier’s side have other issues, with Sergio Ramos unable to play, Marco Verratti suspended, and Renato Sanches forced to come off in tears just 12 minutes into the game.

“Leo is holding the team together,” Galtier told broadcaster Amazon Prime.

“It is not just two players we are missing. There is Kylian and ‘Ney’ but also Marco Verratti and Sergio Ramos.

“He takes on the role of leader naturally, and he did so in midweek too. He was so important to the way we played. He takes the initiative. We need to give him the ball even more.”

Portugal midfielder Sanches was starting for just the fifth time since joining from Lille at the start of the season but had to come off with what looked like a hamstring injury.

He was replaced by teenage defender El Chadaille Bitshiabu, with Danilo Pereira moving up into the midfield, and the substitute was partly responsible when PSG fell behind.

Bitshiabu was booked for bringing down Zakaria Aboukhlal 25 metres from goal, and Van den Boomen sent the resulting free-kick low into the left corner of the net with Gianluigi Donnarumma beaten.

Messi hit the post from a corner and Toulouse had another goal disallowed for offside before the home side drew level seven minutes from half-time as Hakimi collected a Soler pass, cut in from the right flank and curled a shot on his left foot into the far corner from 20 metres.

Hakimi then turned provider as he set up Messi to make it 2-1 on 58 minutes, the goal standing despite Toulouse coach Philippe Montanier feeling it should have been disallowed as Marquinhos blocked the goalkeeper’s view while in an offside position.

The outcome was rarely in doubt after that with PSG — who have had some recent wobbles — deserved winners.

Anthony Rouault did force a good save from Donnarumma deep into injury time before Messi hit the post again right at the death.

Meanwhile Rennes missed out on an 11th consecutive home league win as they went down 3-1 to fellow European hopefuls Lille.

Amine Gouiri put the home side ahead inside 30 seconds but Edon Zhegrova, Remy Cabella and on-loan Everton midfielder Andre Gomes all scored in the second half for sixth-placed Lille, who are now just two points behind Rennes in fifth.

Elsewhere, Lyon boosted their outside hopes of European qualification with a 3-1 win at Troyes in which Bradley Barcola and Rayan Cherki both scored before Alexandre Lacazette netted his 16th goal of the season.

PARIS — Alexander Zverev defeated three-time major winner Stan Wawrinka in the Davis Cup on Friday as the German star returned to the courts for the first time since being cleared of domestic abuse.

The 25-year-old Zverev swept past Wawrinka 6-4, 6-1 in Trier to bring Germany level with Switzerland after the opening day of their qualifier.

On Tuesday, Zverev was told by the ATP that there was “insufficient evidence” to substantiate allegations against him of abusing a former girlfriend.

Former World No. 2 Zverev always denied the claims, describing them as “baseless”.

On Friday, Wawrinka, who helped his country win the 2014 Davis Cup, was returning to the team competition for the first time in eight years.

Now ranked 135 in the world, he was comfortably beaten for the fifth time in five meetings by Zverev.

“I think it’s important to go into tomorrow’s ties with a 1-1 scoreline,” said Zverev after recording just a second match win in eight months.

He missed the last six months of the 2022 season having suffered ankle ligament damage in June during a French Open semifinal defeat to Rafael Nadal.

“That was the best match since my injury. It’s going in a positive way and I hope to continue progressing.”

Marc-Andrea Huesler had given Switzerland the lead with a 2-6, 6-2, 6-4 win over Oscar Otte.

The tie continues on Saturday with a doubles and two singles rubbers as the Swiss look to beat Germany for the first time having lost all nine meetings since their maiden clash in 1939.

Mackenzie McDonald and Tommy Paul gave the United States a 2-0 lead in their qualifier against Uzbekistan.

‘Bring out the broomsticks!’

McDonald, who knocked Nadal out of the Australian Open last month, eased past Sergey Fomin 6-4, 6-1 in Tashkent before Tommy Paul, a semifinalist at the season-opening Grand Slam in Melbourne, defeated Khumoyun Sultanov 6-1, 7-6 (8/6).

Despite his lowly ranking of 480, Sultanov opened up a 4-0 lead in the second set over top-20 player Paul before the American’s greater experience paid off.

“He picked up his level a ton,” admitted Paul. “I felt like I wasn’t prepared for it.”

Of Saturday’s rubbers, he added: “A sweep would be nice — bring out the broomsticks!”

France, the 10-time champions, were 1-1 against Hungary in Tatabanya.

World No. 182 Zsombor Piros stunned 45th-ranked Benjamin Bonzi 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 before Ugo Humbert levelled the qualifier by seeing off Marton Fucsovics 6-3, 6-2.

“It was my first match in the Davis Cup and I was very excited,” said 24-year-old Humbert, the World No. 86.

In Stockholm, Sweden opened up a 2-0 lead over Bosnia thanks to straight-sets wins by brothers Mikael and Elias Ymer.

Norway, without World No. 4 Casper Ruud, slipped 2-0 down at home to Serbia, playing without recently-crowned Australian Open champion Novak Djokovic.

Andreja Petrovic, selected instead of French and US Open runner-up Ruud, is ranked a lowly 1,205 in the world.

He was defeated 6-1, 6-3 by 34th-ranked Miomir Kecmanovic in just 46 minutes.

Colombia and Britain ended the opening day level at 1-1 in Cota in suburban Bogota.

Nicolas Mejia, ranked 253rd in the world, got the hosts off to a strong start with a 6-2, 2-6, 6-4 victory over Dan Evans.

Cameron Norrie pulled Britain level with a 6-2, 7-5 victory over Nicolas Barrientos.

There are 12 ties taking place this weekend with the winners securing places in the group stage in September alongside defending champions Canada, 2022 runners-up Australia and wild cards Italy and Spain. 

The eight best teams then go through to the Davis Cup Finals knockout stage in Malaga in November.

The qualifying matches taking place between Friday and Sunday are the first since the International Tennis Federation severed its partnership with investors Kosmos less than five years after a 25-year deal was signed.