Alexander Zverev has been "withdrawn" from the singles competition at the Mexican Open in Acapulco after attacking the umpire's chair at the end of his defeat in the doubles.

Zverev and Brazil's Marcelo Melo were in a super tie-break against Lloyd Glasspool and Harri Heliovaara when they were angered by a call made by the umpire.

A return on Melo's serve seemed to be called out by a line judge, but the umpire overruled the decision to put Glasspool and Heliovaara 9-6 up and give them match point, a subsequent ace ending the match in their favour.

As the pairs shook hands at the net afterwards, Zverev quickly walked off and smashed his racquet against the umpire's chair three times.

He then shouted at the umpire that he had "destroyed the whole f****** match" before striking the chair once more.

Zverev was due to face Peter Gojowczyk in the second round of the singles, but the ATP Tour confirmed the Olympic champion has been removed from the draw.

A brief statement read: "Due to unsportsmanlike conduct at the conclusion of his doubles match on Tuesday night, Alexander Zverev has been withdrawn from the tournament in Acapulco."

Rafael Nadal equalled the best start to a season in his career after winning his first match at the Mexican Open on Tuesday.

In his first match since a record 21st grand slam title in Australia, Nadal was a comfortable 6-3 6-2 winner over Denis Kudla, dropping only four points on serve.

Nadal is now 11-0 for the season, equalling the start he made in 2014, when his winning run was ended by Stan Wawrinka in the Australian Open final.

"I think I started playing well, a good victory in straight sets. That's always very positive for the confidence," said Nadal. "I think I played a very solid match for the first day.

"Of course, there are a couple of things that I can do better, but in general terms, I played well, so I can't complain at all."

Daniil Medvedev, who had also not played since the final in Melbourne, came through a tougher contest against Benoit Paire 6-3 6-4 in his opening match in Acapulco.

Medvedev held a two-set lead and looked in control before Nadal came roaring back to claim the Australian Open title, but the Russian could claim a landmark achievement in his first tournament since that heartbreak.

Medvedev, who faces Pablo Andujar next, will become world number one if he wins in Mexico, regardless of Novak Djokovic's performances in Dubai.

"It's always not easy to come back after some rest and some time off competition," he said. "I felt like my sensations were not at the top today, but I managed to fight until the end against a very tough opponent, and I'm happy that I managed to win."

Stefanos Tsitsipas racked up the 200th win of his career, holding off Laslo Djere to win two tie-breaks. He will now face J.J. Wolf, who surprised Lorenzo Sonego by fighting back from a set down to win 3-6 7-6 (9-7) 6-2.

Cameron Norrie was a straight-sets winner over Daniel Altmaier, while Yoshihito Nishioka battled through against veteran Feliciano Lopez.

Tommy Paul progressed after Matteo Berrettini retired when the American was poised to tie the match at one set all. John Millman also had to call an early halt to his match with Marcos Giron after a freak accident on court in which the Australian accidentally hit a ball into his eye.

At the Chile Open, home favourite Alejandro Tabilo beat Renzo Olivo in straight sets, while fifth seed Federico Coria was earlier knocked out by Yannick Hanfmann.

Miomir Kecmanovic defeated Marco Cecchinato, while there were also wins for seeds Sebastian Baez and Facundo Bagnis.

Tiger Woods recently vowed the PGA Tour has not seen the last of him, but surely it has seen the best of him.

This week marks 30 years since a 16-year-old Woods took his first steps onto the professional circuit, the first patter of Tiger feet coming at the Nissan Los Angeles Open, at Riviera Country Club. It is the tournament now known as the Genesis Invitational.

He appeared as an amateur, on an invitation proposed by tournament director Greg McLaughlin, and went up against an elite field on the par-71 course.

Before teeing up with tour pros Bob Friend and Dicky Thompson, however, Woods played the pre-tournament pro-am in the company of Columbo actor Peter Falk. Just one more thing... to make his week memorable.

Woods had been touted for many years as a star in the making, having first caught the eye as a prodigious talent before starting school. He won the U.S. Junior Amateur title in consecutive years from 1991 to 1993 to underline that quality.

And while his first taste of life among the elite was not a triumphant experience, neither did Woods embarrass himself on February 27 and 28, back in 1992. It was clear to many that his talent had not been overstated, and barely five years later this student of the greens and fairways had graduated to become a Masters champion.

Scores of tournament wins have come Woods' way, and there have been storied crises off the course too, most recently with his car crash horror last February 23.

Here, Stats Perform winds back the clock three decades, and reflects on the career of an all-time sporting great.

How did Tiger get on?

By his latter-day standards, awfully. But for a kid, just fine. Woods shot 72-75 to be five over par, and that meant he was 17 shots behind leader Davis Love III through 36 holes.

Love went on to lose in a playoff to Fred Couples for the title, while Woods, who was then the youngest player to appear in a PGA Tour event, missed the cut.

Some 24 years later, Woods would serve as a vice-captain to Love on Ryder Cup duty, but in 1992 they were poles apart.

However, this was a taster for Woods of the life that awaited him, and as much as the cameras were trained on the fabled youngster, he remained a boy in a man's world.

It was said that he had grown from 5ft 6in in 1990 to 6ft 1in by 1992, a spurt that meant his physique was becoming the ideal complement for his natural talent, but the 16-year-old Woods was still somewhat scrawny. Like millions of young American boys across the country, he was within touching distance of adulthood, but still tantalisingly distant.

A crisp three-wood from the first tee set him on the way to a respectable opening round of one over par, before his game dipped slightly on the Friday.

What they said?

According to Sports Illustrated, Woods' father Earl said of his son's performance: "He was playing army golf: left, right, left, right.

"But he was getting up and down like a thief. He recovered and made pars from positions that Riviera hasn't seen in a long time."

Woods was braced for teasing from his fellow students at Western High in Anaheim after failing to make it into the weekend, but those around Woods knew the trajectory of his career was only going upwards.

Mother Kultida still urged expectations to be kept in check, telling the Los Angeles Times on day one of the tournament: "He’s just a kid, just 16. It's hard for people to understand that, because he has the ability. But playing here is just a test for Tiger, to see where he is at and how far he needs to go. Let him be a kid. He loves to play."

Tiger's verdict? 'I'm not ready for this'

"It was a learning experience, and I learned I'm not that good," Woods said after completing his second round. "I can play at the junior level, but I'm not good enough to compete at this level.

"You look up at the board and see 12 under. These guys are just too good. I just don't think I'm ready for this. I have a long way to go."

He also described the experience as "the greatest two days of my life", and in 2018, on his personal website blog, said it had been "very motivating".

"At the time," Woods explained, "I hadn't played amateur golf yet; just junior golf. I skipped the amateur ranks to play in one event. It made me more determined than ever to work on my game and improve."

Here's a fact that still jars with Woods: he has never won at Riviera, where nowadays he is the tournament host.

What became of his playing partners

Neither Friend (72-71) nor Thompson (69-78) made the cut, so it was hardly the most successful grouping of the week.

Friend had his most successful year as a pro in 1998, when he earned the only three top-10 PGA Tour finishes of his career. The highlight was a second place at the Bell Canadian Open, where he lost out to Billy Andrade in a playoff for the title. By that point, Woods was a Masters champion, and he did not compete that week at Glen Abbey.

Thompson had an 11th-place finish at the 1992 Buick Southern Open and signed off his career with just two top-10 results in a PGA Tour career spanning 1991 to 1998.

Both can tell a first-hand anecdote or two about Tiger Woods from that day though.

As Friend said, according to pgatour.com: "The first [reaction] is, 'Oh man, this place is going to be a zoo'. People were all over the place.

"He was very much in his own bubble. We talked about school, 'How do you like school? What's your favourite subject?’.

"It was like playing with any other professional. Some guys talk. Some don't. He wasn't the least bit flummoxed by anything. He was very focused on what he was doing. He had the moxie of a guy who was a senior in college."

What now for Tiger?

As we know, the boy Woods went on to become the dominant golfing man of his generation.

With 15 majors among his record-tying 82 PGA Tour wins, his status as a sporting great is assured.

Woods also has 199 top-10 finishes on tour, and it might be more realistic to expect him to round that up to 200 than to imagine him winning again, as he battles to recover fully from the major leg injuries he sustained in an SUV roll that occurred in this week last year. He was fortunate to escape with his life, police said.

Woods said last week that he could not commit to returning to the PGA Tour in 2022, telling CBS: "You'll see me [again] on the PGA Tour, I just don’t know when.

"Trust me, I'd love to tell you I'll be playing next week but I don't know when, which is frustrating in that sense because I've been down this road too before with my back when I didn't know when I'd come back."

Whether he eventually does come back, or whether this is perhaps the end of the road for Woods the competitor, the world will be waiting and watching.

All those years ago at Riviera, he spoke of having "a long way to go". He went there, and then some.

The Champions League returns on Wednesday as the first legs of the round of 16 come to an end.

Manchester United travel to the Wanda Metropolitano to face Atletico Madrid, with the visitors aiming to become just the fourth team to 500 goals in the European Cup and Champions League combined.

Erik ten Hag's Ajax thrilled in the group stages with their high-scoring and free-flowing football, and they make the trip to the Estadio da Luz to face Benfica in the other first-leg meeting.

Here, Stats Perform unpacks the pick of the Opta data behind the pair of knockout fixtures in Europe's premier club competition.

Atletico Madrid v Manchester United

United and Atletico have somehow only faced each other in the same European campaign once previously, when the Spanish side were 4-1 victors on aggregate in the last 16 of the 1991-92 Cup Winners' Cup.

The Red Devils, on their only previous visit to Atletico, lost the first leg of that tie 3-0 at the old Vicente Calderon stadium against Luis Aragones' team.

Ralf Rangnick's away side will be hoping for happier returns on their next visit to Spain, where they have won just one of their last seven trips in the knockout stages of the Champions League (D4 L2).

But Diego Simeone's team have also tasted defeat in each of their last four matches against English teams in the competition, double the number of losses they suffered across their first 12 such matches (W4 D6 L2).

Atletico have won just four of their last 14 in the Champions League. Additionally, they have lost more times in their last four home games (three) than they did in across their previous 37 (two) in the competition.

The LaLiga outfit will have to contend with an old foe Cristiano Ronaldo, who has scored 25 goals in 35 matches against them, only managing more versus Sevilla during his entire career.

Indeed, four of the forward's club hat-tricks have come against the Spanish side, two of which have been netted in this competition – no other player has recorded more against a single opponent in Europe's top club tournament.

Benfica v Ajax

Benfica may have won the first European meeting with Ajax, a 3-1 win in the first leg of the 1968-69 European Cup quarter-finals, but they are winless in their six games against them since.

Ajax are unbeaten in their previous three away games at Benfica in the European Cup and Champions League (W1 D2), with the most recent of these coming under Ten Hag’s stewardship, a 1-1 draw in November 2018.

The reigning Eredivisie champions are unbeaten in their four meetings with Portuguese sides in the competition (W3 D1), while Benfica have won just two of their last 11 clashes with Dutch opponents across the European Cup and Champions League (D4 L5).

To reach this stage, Ten Hag's men recorded six wins from six, which is the longest winning streak by a Dutch team in the European Cup and Champions League.

Should they manage victory in Portugal, Ajax's seven-game winning run would be the longest in the history of the two competitions by a team outside of the current big five European leagues (England, France, Germany, Italy, Spain).

Sebastian Haller fired his side into the knockout stages with 10 goals in six European outings, the most by any player in his opening six matches in the competition.

Playmaker Dusan Tadic has also created more chances from open play than any other player in the competition (77) since his debut in September 2018, but Benfica will not just roll over given they have recorded clean sheets in five of their last seven Champions League games.

Emma Raducanu was forced to retire in her first WTA Tour match since the Australian Open.

The US Open champion exited to Danka Kovinic in round two in Melbourne, as her bid for another major title was hampered by a painful blister to her right hand.

A month on, Raducanu took on Daria Saville at the Abierto Zapopan in Guadalajara but was forced to call a halt to proceedings after three hours and 36 minutes, with the scores at 5-7 7-6 (7-4) 4-3. It was the longest WTA match of 2022.

The 19-year-old had fallen at the first hurdle at last year's Linz Open, the only previous event where she appeared as the top seed, and she might have feared a repeat amid a slow start on Tuesday.

Raducanu and Saville traded early breaks, before the Australian seemed to settle first, claiming a 3-1 lead.

Back roared Raducanu and a tense opener continued in back-and-forth fashion, although the big opportunities fell the Briton's way.

She let slip three break points at 5-4 but had four more at 6-5, eventually able to celebrate with a mixture of relief and delight when Saville netted.

Raducanu served for the match at 5-3 in the second, but Saville battled on not only to force the tie-break but also a deciding set.

The Australian fell 2-0 down in the third but was ahead 3-2 when Raducanu took a medical time-out and returned to court with heavy strapping on her leg. After struggling through another two games, Raducanu retired a break down at 4-3, meaning Saville will progress to face Caroline Dolehide.

Meanwhile, after the shock exit of Madison Keys the previous day, Raducanu's fellow seeds had no such issues this time around.

Sara Sorribes Tormo and Camila Osorio each advanced in straight sets, beating Katie Volynets and Viktoriya Tomova respectively.

Antonio Conte has no problem with Harry Kane's "great ambition" yet hopes he can be the man to convince the striker to stay at Tottenham.

Kane pushed for a move away from Spurs ahead of this season, with Manchester City widely considered his most likely destination.

But Tottenham stood firm and Kane was forced to stay in London, toiling for much of the season while City have charged to the top of the Premier League table.

The England captain is still without a major honour for either club or country, explaining his desire to depart his boyhood club.

However, Saturday's match between City and Tottenham provided cause for optimism, as Kane brilliantly led his side to a dramatic 3-2 win at the league leaders.

Kane scored two and had a hand in the visitors' other goal in a performance that was widely praised.

His future plans have therefore returned to the forefront of discussion ahead of Tottenham's trip to Burnley.

Kane's wish to win trophies fits with Conte's own plans, though, having been appointed at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium having lifted five league titles across his previous three club jobs with Inter, Chelsea and Juventus.

"Harry is a player with great ambition and it must be this way because a player like him, I repeat, we are talking about a world-class striker," Conte said.

"He has to be ambitious. For sure, for a player and for a striker, it's very important to improve, to beat records.

"Records are important but, at the same time, it's also important at the end of your career to lift trophies, because only if you win and lift trophies can you go into the story of the club.

"My task in this moment is to try to improve him. But in the same way, with the other players, to become more complete.

"For sure, to improve a player to stay in this level is not easy because the space [to improve] is not so much. But I still think he's improving a lot and Harry is another player who gives me great availability."

Suggesting he could have a hand in any decision Kane makes on his next move, Conte added: "There is only one way to convince this sort of player.

"It is to work, it is to convince of your football knowledge and to improve them. Only in this way you have the respect of your players.

"I have only this way to show to my players – I am here because we are trying to start to build something important together.

"It won't be easy but now I think it will be very good to continue this way and I think that Harry, like the other players, understood the situation.

"They also understood that the club wanted to give an input by appointing a coach that in the past won things. We have to train for these three or four months to try to improve and then continue to build something important.

"But I understand then that every single player has to make the best decision at the end of the season."

Weston McKennie was injured against Villarreal on Tuesday in a blow to both Juventus and the United States.

Midfielder McKennie had to be helped from the pitch with nine minutes remaining of Juve's 1-1 Champions League draw.

And reports after the game suggested the former Schalke man had fractured two bones in his left foot.

Head coach Massimiliano Allegri was still waiting on official confirmation as he faced the media, saying: "He is going for an X-ray to his foot; we hope it is nothing serious."

An extended period on the sidelines would prompt concern for both club and country.

While Juve are battling for a top-four finish in Serie A and hoping to advance in the Champions League, the USMNT have vital World Cup qualifiers against Mexico, Panama and Costa Rica next month.

McKennie's international team-mate Giovanni Reyna left Borussia Dortmund's most recent match through injury.

Romelu Lukaku was an unused substitute in Chelsea's win over Lille because Thomas Tuchel wanted to keep him out of "the next fire". 

Lukaku was the subject of intense criticism following his display in the 1-0 victory over Crystal Palace in the Premier League on Saturday. 

The Belgium striker managed just seven touches – the fewest of any player to complete 90 minutes in a single top-flight game since Opta has the data available (2003-04) 

Kai Havertz led the line against Lille instead of Lukaku and the Germany international opened the scoring in the first leg of the last-16 tie at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday. 

Christian Pulisic wrapped up the win for the Blues, with Tuchel pleased Lukaku was able to escape the spotlight. 

"It was not the moment after the match where everybody was focused on the few touches that we had to put him right into the next fire. It was the moment to take a step back. That was the decision and that's it," said Tuchel. 

"You can clearly see we have a strong win and strong performance. It was a tough match and almost every question is about Romelu. The focus is huge. There were nine other players who did not play. 

"We should never forget we consider this sport a team sport and the 11 guys who play do everything to commit fully to what we plan and commit fully to their team-mates. Those on the bench have to do the same and this is how it works. 

"Especially at Chelsea and especially for us and this is how we win football matches." 

Tuchel said prior to kick-off that Lukaku had been left out because he was "exhausted", though in his post-match news conference he clarified his comments. 

The German made it clear Lukaku has every chance of being selected for the EFL Cup final against Liverpool on Sunday. 

"Every game is different. The focus today was on intensity and a high-speed game. It was about hard work against the ball, off the ball and having intensive teamwork," said Tuchel. 

"Romelu struggled in the last few games a little bit to deliver that. That's what I meant when I felt him a bit tired both mentally and physically. 

"Since the Liverpool game [he missed on January 2], he started every match and there were some extra times as well. Today, we went for three other players with Kai in great shape, very confident and giving a lot of work rate and high-intensity metres for the team. 

"Yes, for the team, the decision doesn't need to be made today but can be in the next four days. He [Lukaku] has every chance to play." 

Since the Liverpool game, only Antonio Rudiger (960) has played more minutes for Chelsea in all competitions than Lukaku (861 – level with Cesar Azpilicueta). 

Fred suggested Manchester United must develop a long-term plan for success, while the midfielder called for clarity on who will be the next permanent manager at Old Trafford.

United have lost just one of 14 Premier League games since Ralf Rangnick was placed in interim charge following the dismissal of club legend Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

That upturn in form leaves the Red Devils fourth in the league after a 4-2 win at Leeds United on Sunday, four points clear of Champions League chasers Arsenal and West Ham United.

Fred was on target in the victory at Elland Road, but the Brazil international believes a solution must be found for the benefit of United in the longer term.

"It's a bit strange," Fred told TNT Sports Brasil of working under an interim manager. "I know in football it's important to get good results as soon as possible, but it's also important to have a long-term plan.

"I think it's a little bad for us not to have one, at the moment it's all about the short-term goals. We don't know how it's going to be after the end of this season."

Rangnick has repeatedly reiterated that his focus is to secure Champions League qualification next term by finishing in the Premier League's top four.

The German manager has already agreed to stay on as a consultant after his short-term managerial role comes to its conclusion at the end of the season, with Mauricio Pochettino and Zinedine Zidane reported targets for United on a permanent basis.

But the immediate attention will turn to the first leg of their Champions League last-16 clash with Atletico Madrid on Wednesday, and Fred suggested the Red Devils are capable of winning the competition.

"I know we're not playing our best football, but we have a lot of quality names in our squad," he added. "I see many other teams playing far off from their best as well.

"[To win it] it wouldn't be crazy, it could happen, but we have to work our socks off because we're far away from being one of the favourites in this competition."

Jurgen Klopp implored Liverpool to continue "annoying" Manchester City as the Reds pursue the Premier League leaders.

Guardiola's defending top-flight champions are six points clear at the top, though they fell to a 3-2 reverse against Tottenham on Saturday.

Liverpool are in second and have the opportunity to cut the deficit to just three points when they host Leeds United on Wednesday.

Following last week's Champions League win over Sporting CP, Guardiola joked that the Reds were a "pain in the a**" and Klopp wants his side to carry on pestering City.

"First and foremost, it's important that we are close to whoever is at the top because that shows that some things are going in the right direction," Klopp said when asked about the title race on Tuesday.

"In the last four seasons - we were not around one year because of our problems, and we had some struggles - but before it was an insane race.

"Both teams are able to do some special stuff, I have to say with all respect [because] what City is doing is incredible.

"I think we are pushing each other as well, not only us because I don't forget the other teams like Chelsea, [Manchester] United, Arsenal and Tottenham. 

"But, we are pushing each other and that's how it is, and it keeps you going. There is no chance to get a bit soft because the other one will be there immediately to catch you.

"I think what Pep said - that we are the pain in the lower back, that's a good description and that's how it should be. 

"We try to be as annoying as somehow possible until we have a chance to overtake, but I don't know when that will be or if that will be the case.

"But, what I always said is that we have the decisive moments of the season, but it's not now in February; it's March and April."

Many are billing the clash between the top two at the Etihad Stadium on April 9 as a potential deciding factor in the title race, but Klopp insisted his team must keep the pace now to make that the case.

"You have to be close enough to make a decision in your direction and I don't know if that will be the case because what we do is pretty special, and I don't expect that to happen every week, and you cannot turn around games every week," he added.

"We have to be at our absolute best to play the best possible season for us and unfortunately, only twice a year in the Premier League, we face the other team [City].

"The first one was a draw where we were not brilliant but good enough to get a point, and the next one is not played yet, and we have to play the other teams including Tottenham and United as well. 

"We don't sit here and count those points as done, and then we wait for the middle of April for the City game.

"But, what the boys did over the past four years is pretty special and I'm happy with that, but not overly happy that I think that's enough.

"So far, it's not a bad season, but the decisions will be made later, and we just have to make sure that we are always in and around when these decisions will be made."

Thomas Tuchel regretted not substituting Mateo Kovacic earlier in Chelsea's win over Lille but hopes the midfielder and Hakim Ziyech will be fit for the EFL Cup final. 

Kovacic sustained an injury early in the second half of the Blues' 2-0 last-16 first-leg victory at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, with Ruben Loftus-Cheek replacing him in the 51st minute. 

Ziyech also hobbled off before the hour mark after appearing to hurt his ankle, casting doubt over whether the pair will be available for Sunday's meeting with Liverpool at Wembley. 

Chelsea took the lead through Kai Havertz in the eighth minute and added to their tally through Christian Pulisic in the 63rd minute, making them the first English team to win five straight home matches without conceding in Europe's premier club competition.

However, Tuchel was frustrated he did not keep Kovacic out of harm's way by taking him off earlier. 

"I should've substituted Kova earlier at half-time so we could've saved one more change. I didn't see Hakim's injury and did not speak to the doctor yet. I hope it's not too bad," Tuchel told BT Sport. 

"It's a little bit the story of the season, that almost every game or every other game we do substitutions only because of injuries and not tactical reasons. It's following us. 

"Sunday is good because it's a lot of days for us to recover and be ready. In general, we don't like to have as many injuries and would like to have more impact from the bench in a tactical matter. But it is what it is. I hope the guys will be ready for Sunday." 

N'Golo Kante impressed at the heart of Chelsea's midfield and claimed an assist for Pulisic's goal following a lung-busting surge through the middle of the pitch. 

Tuchel was pleased to see Kante showing signs of his best form after a difficult run with injuries. His three assists in all competitions in 2022 are the joint-most at Chelsea and it is the same amount he managed across 75 appearances for the club in 2020 and 2021 combined.

"I was very pleased. It took him a while, I have to say. It was not the real N'Golo in the last matches. He struggled a bit with belief and intensity in his game in general," said Tuchel. 

"It was good he stepped up today. You can instantly see how big the impact is if he's in good shape – he's our game changer. He had a huge impact. I'm very happy for him and the team." 

Dusan Vlahovic was left with mixed feelings about his Champions League debut after Juventus' 1-1 draw with Villarreal. 

The former Fiorentina striker found the back of the net just 32 seconds into the first leg of the last-16 tie in Spain – the fastest goal in the competition by a full debutant. 

Vlahovic demonstrated tremendous instincts as he controlled Danilo's lofted ball on his chest and slotted into the far corner past a flat-footed Geronimo Rulli. 

Juventus were unable to preserve their advantage, though. Dani Parejo equalised in the 66th minute to leave the contest finely poised ahead of the second leg on March 16. 

While the Serbia international was thrilled to be on target, he admitted the result took the shine off his achievement. 

"It was huge to score on my debut; it was very emotional. However, I cannot be 100 per cent satisfied because we have not won the game," he said. 

"We have to keep working hard. We played a good game and we could have won.  

"We tried to play well also in the second half but sometimes the opposition do not allow you to do what you want to do. So, congratulations to them for equalising.  

"There are some regrets, but we must just focus on the next game." 

Meanwhile, head coach Massimiliano Allegri was left frustrated by the manner of Villarreal's equaliser. 

An unmarked Parejo was allowed to drift into the penalty area and sweep Etienne Capoue's lofted pass beyond Wojciech Szczesny. 

"We made a bad mistake on their equaliser," Allegri said. "We perfectly knew that they were trying that move and we still allowed them to score. However, the team played a good game in general.  

"We made a few mistakes also in attack; straying offside when we had good chances on the counter-attack.  

"In general, I'm quite satisfied with the performance." 

Zion Williamson's failure to welcome CJ McCollum to the New Orleans Pelicans added to a "pattern of behaviour" that shows the former first overall pick to be "a detached team-mate".

That is the view of JJ Redick, a former Pelicans team-mate.

Injuries have limited Williamson to just 85 games in the NBA since he was drafted in 2019, meaning the discussion around the forward has instead centred on his commitment to the Pelicans.

The team have made moves to try to build a competitive team in the absence of a potential superstar, who averages 25.7 points for his career.

But McCollum, the latest recruit from the Portland Trail Blazers, said at the weekend he was yet to speak with Williamson directly.

And Redick, speaking on Tuesday, was able to offer an insight into life alongside the 21-year-old, whose status remains unclear as he waits to play his first game this season following a foot injury.

"This just shows a complete lack of investment in your team, in the organisation, in the city," Redick told First Take.

"I get that he's hurt and away from the team, but you just traded for one of the 50 best players in the league – a guy that's supposed to be paired with you. Reach out and say, 'hello'.

"This is a pattern of behaviour with Zion that we are seeing again and again. I was his team-mate; I can describe him as a detached team-mate – that is an accurate statement."

Redick, who joined the Pelicans at the same time as Williamson and left in March 2021, said: "Yes, he's been amazing when he's been on the court – 100 per cent.

"He's amazing to watch. There's no one that can do what he does on a basketball court.

"But as a team-mate, there is a pattern of behaviour; as a fully invested individual in New Orleans, there's a pattern of behaviour. This is worrisome."