Ancelotti: PSG have winning mentality

The Real Madrid coach believes his old side have found an identity that they lacked under his stewardship at the Parc des Princes

Carlo Ancelotti believes former club Paris Saint-Germain have now developed a "winning mentality".

The Italian failed to guide the Ligue 1 outfit to the title after taking the reins from Antoine Kombouare in the 2011-12 winter break, as PSG finished second behind Montpellier.

However, the title did not elude the capital club in Ancelotti's first full season at the Parc des Princes and the 54-year-old believes that that was a key triumph, arguing that PSG have now become even stronger mentally under Laurent Blanc, who is poised to lead the Parisiens to a second successive title.

"We didn't have a real identity to our play in that first season," the current Real Madrid coach told the official Ligue 1 website.

"That wasn't true of the second season, especially the second half of the second season. In the Champions League we only narrowly lost out to Barcelona.

"I felt respected in France; it was just difficult to change the working mentality when I arrived.

"We needed to change that in order to fulfil the ambitious objectives set out by the Qataris (Qatar Investment Authority, owners of the club), in order that Paris became a team in accordance with the financial potential of the club.

"I think Paris has improved a lot on this front and now PSG has that winning mentality."

PSG currently sit eight points clear of second-placed Monaco and can wrap up the Ligue 1 title with a home victory over Rennes on May 7.

Terry hopeful of new Chelsea contract

The centre-back - who is fit to face Atletico Madrid in the Champions League semi-final second leg at Stamford Bridge - wants to end his career at Stamford Bridge

John Terry is in talks over a new Chelsea deal and has outlined his desire to stay at Stamford Bridge for the rest of his career.

Terry is out of contract at the end of the season but has rediscovered his best form under Jose Mourinho and the 33-year-old has made no secret of a desire to remain with the club.

The centre-back is now waiting to see whether he can be granted his wish to remain at Stamford Bridge.

"I want to stay here for the rest of my footballing days," the Chelsea captain told reporters. "It's the club I've been at since 14 and I've been nowhere else.

"We're in talks. We've had big games, so we haven't spoken for a few weeks, but I hope it gets done.

"It's down to the club but I want to stay and I hope something gets sorted out."

Terry has handed Mourinho a huge boost ahead of the second leg of the Champions League semi-final clash with Atletico by declaring himself fit after recovering from the ankle injury that forced him to sit out Sunday's victory at Liverpool.

He said: "On Sunday I went out and trained with the boys who stayed back and it was totally fine. [On Monday] I did a full session and I did again [on Tuesday], touch wood I've had no problems."

I made a mistake' - Guardiola apologises for Bayern defeat

The Spaniard has apologised for the humiliating defeat his side suffered in their Champions League tie and insists his team cannot win every title

Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola says he made a mistake in his side's Champions League semi-final loss to Real Madrid on Tuesday and apologised to the club's fans.

Cristiano Ronaldo and Sergio Ramos struck braces in Real's 4-0 second-leg thrashing of the Bundesliga champions at the Allianz Arena, completing a 5-0 aggregate victory.

And Guardiola admitted it was his error that led to Bayern's humiliating defeat, but insisted it's impossible for the team to win every title.

"We played badly when we had the ball. That's my responsibility. I made a mistake," the Spaniard told reporters.

"I was wrong on some tactical issues. It’s my responsibility. When you don’t play well, these things happen against great rivals, but I’m disappointed.

"This team has to win everything so that people are happy. Sometime it’s not possible. I’m sorry for the disappointment of not playing well.

"Three years ago Bayern won zero titles in a season. If you win the league it may be enough but we knew that this year could only equal the past. We won’t but that’s the sport.

"Today there has been a team that has been better. I still have the impression we’ve had a good Champions League campaign but Real Madrid had the quality and the first-half won it for them."

"It’s difficult for me and my players. I’m still proud of them.

"The reason for the defeat isn’t related to the possession. Football is played with the ball and then there are other things.

"It was a bit better in the first-leg, but congratulations to Real Madrid."

Guardiola lamented his side's defending from set-pieces, with Ramos heading in a corner and free-kick in the first half.

Ronaldo netted on the counter-attack before half-time and completed the scoring with a cheeky free-kick which went under a jumping Bayern defensive wall.

"We have to carry on now. If you don't play well and you defend set-pieces badly, that's just how it is. You are being punished," Guardiola said.

"We are at the highest level in Europe; such mistakes are punished right away."

Guardiola said he had been hopeful Bayern could reproduce the performances they put in against Premier League sides Arsenal and Manchester United earlier in the knockout stages.

"What we did against Arsenal and Manchester [United] did not work today," he said.

"Also in the first-leg in Madrid we had more control than today and at least a couple of chances. Today, just a few. That's why we have lost the semi-final.

"You play with the ball and if you don't have it that doesn't work."

There will be a few transfers at Inter this summer, says Thohir

The club have been linked to several players this summer and the president insists there will be some arrivals as well as some departures

Inter president Erick Thohir expects there to be plenty of transfer activity at San Siro in the close-season.

Thohir took ownership of the Serie A club in October and has overseen a number of arrivals as well as negotiations for future signings.

Manchester United captain Nemanja Vidic will arrive ahead of the 2014-15 campaign, joining January signings Hernanes and Danilo D'Ambrosio, with a host of other big names linked with a switch.

However, despite reports suggesting the likes of Fernando Torres, Edin Dzeko and Alvaro Morata could be targets, Thohir insists nothing is decided yet.

"After these three remaining games, with the sporting director and the coach we will review the entire squad, starting with the players whose contracts are due," he said.

"We are not saying that everyone will be renewed, it is necessary to assess. We will evaluate the performance of everyone.

"In June we will sign another winger and even review another forward, as currently we have only [Mauro] Icardi, [Rodrigo] Palacio and [Diego] Milito.

"It is nice to have big names, but the reality is that the negotiations are not guaranteed. I will announce the players when they are signed up, the rest is just rumours.

"It is necessary to have a complete team, to better face the next few seasons."

The Warriors Had An Incredible Plan To Boycott Game 5

REUTERS/Robert Galbraith

The Golden State Warriors held a team meeting on Tuesday where they planned a boycott in the event that the NBA went easy on Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling, Marcus Thompson of the San Jose Mercury News reports.

It would have been one of the most dramatic moments in the history of the league.

Here's how it would have worked, according to Thompson:

"The Warriors were going to go through pre-game warm-ups and take part in the national anthem and starting line-up introductions. They were going to take the floor for the jump ball, dapping up the Clippers players as is customary before games.

"Then once the ball was in the air, they were just going to walk off. All 15 of them."

The boycott was organized by Stephen Curry, David Lee, and Andre Iguodala, and the Warriors would have asked the Clippers to join them if Sterling's punishment wasn't harsh enough.

The plan was scrapped after NBA commissioner Adam Silver banned Sterling for life and moved to force him to sell the Clippers.

Interestingly, Thompson reports that the boycott would have been set into motion if Sterling received only an indefinite suspension and a fine.

That was the exact punishment that most observers expected Silver to hand down coming into the day.

If Silver hit Sterling with the punishment we all expected, the Warriors and Clippers would have walked off the court. Instead, Silver hammered him, and the protest was averted.

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/warriors-planned-boycott-2014-4#ixzz30PBsuhrK

Deal between India and Russia likely to upset Pakistan

NEW DELHI- India has signed an agreement under which it will pay Russia to supply arms and equipment to the Afghan military as foreign combat troops prepare to leave the country, in a move that risks infuriating Pakistan.

Under the deal, smaller arms such as light artillery and mortars will be sourced from Russia and moved to Afghanistan. But it could eventually involve the transfer of heavy artillery, tanks and even combat helicopters that the Afghans have been asking India for since last year.

India has already been training military officers from Afghanistan, hosted a 60-member Special Forces group last year in the deserts of Rajasthan and supplied equipment such as combat vehicles and field medical support facilities.

China, another big player in the region which borders Afghanistan via a small, remote strip of land, is preparing for a more robust role in Afghanistan, also concerned that the withdrawal of NATO troops will leave a hotbed of militancy on its doorstep.

Like China, India is unlikely to put boots on the ground to reinforce its strategy in Afghanistan.

"We can't commit troops on the ground, we can't give them the military equipment that they have been asking us for, for all sorts of reasons including the lack of surplus stocks," said an Indian foreign ministry official, declining to be named because of the sensitivity of the issue.

"Involving a third party is the next best option," the official said, referring to plans to source military supplies from Russia for Afghan forces.

India's neighbour and rival Pakistan is likely to be angered by any move to help arm Afghan forces, even if indirectly. Pakistan shares a long border with Afghanistan and has traditionally exerted considerable influence on Kabul.

But under Karzai, and since the ouster of the Islamist Taliban movement in 2001, relations have deteriorated amid accusations that Pakistan has failed to stop militants crossing into Afghanistan and launching frequent, deadly attacks.

Asked about India's plans to supply Russian arms to Afghanistan, Pakistani foreign ministry spokeswoman Tasnim Aslam said: "I don't have any confirmation, so it would be premature to comment on it."

Bieber convinced Gomez to fire parents

SS
Los Angeles-Justin Bieber apparently convinced Selena Gomez to fire parents Mandy and Brian Teefey as her managers.
The Baby singer was annoyed that Mandy and Brian kept blaming him for Selena’s problems, so he decided to take action.
“Mandy and Brian kept trying to persuade Selena that Justin’s a bad influence,” a source said. “Every time they heard that Selena had flown off to be with Justin, or that they were back together romantically, they’d immediately phone Selena to rant that her association with him was ruining her life and career. The calls always ended with Selena in tears - and mother and daughter not speaking for days at a time.
“Justin kept trying to convince Selena to dump her parents as managers - and it finally happened when Mandy told Selena she was concerned about her being dragged into Justin’s upcoming legal woes. Selena fired back, saying she was firing them both. Mandy and Brian didn’t take Selena seriously…until they read press reports confirming their termination. Now Justin’s telling pals he couldn’t be happier!”
Meanwhile, Selena’s parents want her in rehab and away from Justin. “They have always wanted her to take rehab seriously because she never has, and that would be the best thing for her. Her parents have been weak trying to make it happen, but are now trying to buckle down on it, even using her little sister to motivate her,” a source said.
“Her parents have begun using the fact that Selena will not be able to see her sister until she gets help and that seems to be working.”
“Selena’s main issues are depression and anxiety. She also has trouble sleeping, which makes everything worse. Her family, especially her mom, attributes many of her troubles to hanging out with the ‘wrong crowd’, Justin included.
 “Selena really wants to get better but isn’t sure what to do. Rehab is not something she thinks she needs. She thinks if she can just focus on her career and stay away from certain people, things will get better.
“She is not ready to let go of Justin though and he’s a main culprit in this whole mess. Her mom thinks rehab is the ticket because it will force her to stay away from Justin and get some much-needed rest and clarity.
“This is a very serious situation because all the stress has an impact on Selena’s health and aggravates the lupus and causes flare-ups. It’s no joke.”