Sports

Mourinho respect for ''ambitious'' Ibrahimovic
Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho believes Zlatan Ibrahimovic's desire to win is what makes him the player he is - and would not have him any other way.

The 27-year-old Sweden striker is never shy to voice his opinion when things are going against him and his team, and made his feelings known after Inter's lead at the Serie A summit was cut to seven points following last weekend's shock 1-0 defeat at Napoli.
He has been linked with a summer move away from the San Siro after hinting he could be ready for a change, but Mourinho is a big fan and reckons his outbursts are borne out of his hunger to succeed.
"This year we played about 50 games and approximately 1,000 training games. You know how many times I've seen Ibra happy? Only when he won," said the Portuguese, who took over the Nerazzurri reins last June,
"If, by misfortune, he does not win a four-against-four match in training, it is the fault of the referee, the goalkeeper, the grass, the ball is deflated, the cameras of Inter channel behind the goal or the sun was too low! He only does not complain if he wins. I really like people like this.
"If Ibra doesn't win he's not happy. He can say whatever he wants. He's ambitious, he's a winner. He can even criticise the coach, and maybe for that he'll win an extra Scudetto.
"He criticised after the defeat at Napoli, after the eliminations from the Champions League and the Coppa Italia. I like it like that, because it means that he is a winner and that he has ambition."
Ferdinand boost for United
Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed Rio Ferdinand has not cracked a rib and hopes to be available for Manchester United's Champions League semi-final second leg away to Arsenal on Tuesday, after fears the defender would be out for up to three weeks.Sir Alex Ferguson has confirmed Rio Ferdinand has not cracked a rib and hopes to be available for Manchester United's Champions League semi-final second leg away to Arsenal on Tuesday.
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Ferdinand walks off the pitch after picking up the injury.
The injury setback could have been a significant blow to Ferguson's hopes of retaining United's English and European crowns as Ferdinand was thought to be out for the Premier League fixtures against Middlesbrough, Manchester City, Wigan and Arsenal, as well as next week's semi-final second leg at the Emirates.
He will miss United's Premier League game with Middlesbrough on Saturday but manager Sir Alex Ferguson is confident he could be fit to face the Gunners.
''It's good news with Rio. It is not a cracked bone, he had a bit of bruising on the lung which was why he was coughing up blood but there has been nothing since then,'' Ferguson said.
''Hopefully we can get him ready for Tuesday, he seems almost back to normal. But he won't play tomorrow.
''Of course when you see it at the time you fear the worst but now it is just a case of getting him back training, hopefully on Sunday, and getting him ready for Tuesday.''
Ferdinand was allowed home in the early hours of Thursday morning after being assessed at a Salford hospital, undergoing tests to determine whether he had suffered a punctured lung.
He left the field on Wednesday clutching his right side after he ran into Eduardo, and moments later he was sandwiched between keeper Edwin van der Sar and Nicklas Bendtner contesting a high ball.
"Rio is desperate to play but he'll take medical advice and won't jeopardise anything to the detriment of the team," said a source close to the player.
"He was in a bad way after the injury but it was typical of him that he wanted to come straight back on and didn't know he'd already been subbed."
Madrid defender Cannavaro turns down City move
Veteran Italian defender Fabio Cannavaro claims he has turned down offers from Manchester City and Bayern Munich as he closes on a return to Juventus.
The Italian is a World Cup winner.
The World Cup winner is out of contract at Real Madrid at the end of the season and has yet to be offered an extension; while he must wait until the outcome of the Real presidential elections to learn if he will secure a new deal.
The 35-year-old is eager to be in peak form for next summer's World Cup and that has prompted his decision to snub interest from City and Bayern.
"There will be the World Cup next year and I want to stay relaxed," Cannavaro told Gazzetta dello Sport. "Real Madrid told me I would have to wait until after the presidential election [to find out about a new contract] and advised me to look around. But I have asked my agent to see if he can find a solution.
"I didn't want to have to start from scratch with the World Cup around the corner and that's why I have turned down Manchester City and Bayern."
Meanwhile, Cannavaro's agent Gaetano Fedele says the centre-half is nearing a return to Juventus after first club Napoli did not make an offer.
Fedele told Radio Kiss Kiss: "We are waiting for the Bianconeri to send Real Madrid a fax.
"You'll all need to wait around five days before we define his contract and solve other problems that have cropped up in the last few days.
"The proposal made by Juventus is the most fascinating for many reasons. For now, Fabio will think about finishing the season with Real in the best way possible.
"Napoli never made an offer. There was never any interest. Fabio would have been willing to make enormous economic sacrifices to once again wear the Azzurri jersey.
"Would he have accepted a contract of just a £1m a year? Let's just say, for Napoli, Fabio would have made extraordinary sacrifices."
Zarate agrees permanent deal with Lazio
Mauro Zarate has agreed terms with Lazio to make his move to the club permanent, after extensive talks saw the Argentine striker come to an agreement with the Biancocelesti.
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Zarate has impressed in Serie A.
Zarate is on loan at Lazio from Qatari outfit Al Sadd and they had a deadline of 1st May to seal an agreement with the player.
"I am happy. Is this what I wanted? Of course," Zarate told Il Messaggero after the talks.
Lazio had already held lengthy talks with Al Sadd earlier this month and looked to have an agreement. However, it has now emerged that Lazio are yet to agree terms with Al Sadd - so although a deal has been agreed with the player, the transfer cannot yet be finalised.
Lazio president Claudio Lotito told Gazzetta dello Sport that he was undeterred, saying: "Now everything is in place for him to stay, it is his and our wish."
A host of Premier League clubs have been tracking Zarate - who has been in outstanding form this season, bagging 14 goals for Lazio.
And they are likely to remain on his trail until a deal between Lazio and Al Saad is struck and the Qatari club are believed to have a deadline of early June for the whole transfer to be finalised.