North Carolina State and Virginia Tech will meet Saturday in an Atlantic Coast Conference game with plenty at stake in Blacksburg, Va. For starters, the Wolfpack (7-3, 4-2) and Hokies (5-5, 4-2) sit tied for third in the conference with North Carolina. Dave Doeren's North Carolina State squad has won three straight games since losing 24-3 at then-No. 17 Duke on Oct. 14. However, winning has not been part of the team's recent trips to Blacksburg. The Wolfpack won there just once in four tries since 2004, including three consecutive setbacks. Doeren has never won in Blacksburg. Also on the losing end of games against the Hokies is Wolfpack starting quarterback Brennan Armstrong, who returned to the lineup in Saturday's 26-6 victory over Wake Forest. Armstrong, a graduate transfer from the Virginia Cavaliers, topped the game with 96 rushing yards and passed for 111. "They're the No. 1 pass defense in the league," Doeren said of the Hokies. "I'm excited to get to go play against a team that's playing well in a great environment. … A good challenge, looking forward to continuing the journey on the road in another senior day for another program. We know we're going to get their best." On Monday, Wolfpack linebacker Payton Wilson was named a semifinalist for the Chuck Bednarik Award, handed out annually to the nation's top defensive player. With a win in their home finale, the Hokies would secure an appearance in a bowl game — the first in coach Brent Pry's tenure. The team went 3-8 in his first season (2022). Against Boston College last week, the Hokies scored 35 unanswered points in their first road win, 48-22, to snap the Eagles' five-game winning streak. Virginia Tech totaled 600 yards of offense — 363 via rushing on 51 carries (7.1 per rush). "(They) had the No. 1 run offense in the league, and they had 120 and we had 360, so we flipped the script there," Pry said. "That's about physicality and temperament." The Hokies lead the all-time series 28-19-4 and have been victorious in five of the past six meetings. —Field Level Media
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American businessman Stan Kroenke has increased his stake in Arsenal to just over 20 percent after purchasing 5,000 shares from fellow director Danny Fiszman, the Premier League club confirmed in an announcement to the London Stock Exchange here on Monday.
Board member Kroenke, whose purchase cost him some 42.5 million pounds (60.3 million dollars), with each share priced at 8,500 pounds, now has a 20.5 percent stake in Arsenal.
Fiszman s sale still leaves the diamond dealer with 16.1 percent of Arsenal s shares and he stressed he was not contemplating any further sale.
I am pleased that Stan Kroenke has made a further substantial commitment to the club by acquiring approximately a third of my holding, Fiszman said in the statement to the LSE.
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When Jose Mourinho arrived at Inter Milan amongst much pomp and fanfare in June last year he was set a definite target win the Champions League.
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Back then, in the summer of 2006, Inter were known as the country s perennial underachievers and chokers.
But they romped to the 2007 title more by default as points penalties dealt out to AC Milan, Fiorentina and Lazio had robbed Inter of any meaningful challengers.
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Spanish daily Marca understands that Manchester City are weighing up a January bid for Malaga goalkeeper Willy Caballero.
The Citizens boss Manuel Pellegrini obviously knows the player well from his time at La Rosaleda and he will attempt to lure him to Etihad.
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However, with the England number one no longer an automatic choice, the Malaga goalkeeper might be interested in a switch to Manchester.
Willy Caballero joined los Boquerones from Elche in January 2011 and has since largely impressed at La Rosaleda.
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Departing Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho has been described as a scourge on Spanish football by rivals Barcelona s vice-president.
Carles Vilarrubi launched a scathing attack on the Portuguese after Madrid president Florentino Perez announced on Monday that he would be leaving by mutual consent, despite having three years left on his contract. I said this three years ago through other means and now that he is no longer coach I can repeat what I thought then, that Mourinho would be a scourge on Spanish football. Now he no longer is, Vilarrubi declared on Radio Catalunya.Mourinho worked at Barcelona under Bobby Robson and Louis van Gaal but after he left in 2000 his relationship with the club became strained, and his behaviour in clashes against them for Inter and Real Madrid did …
Zlatan Ibrahimovic was full of praise for Paul Pogba s performance for France in Sunday s World Cup final.
Midfielder Pogba scored a fine second-half goal as Les Bleus defeated Croatia 4-2 in Moscow to clinch their second title.
And after a season in which Pogba s displays for Manchester United were often scrutinised, Ibrahimovic was quick to highlight his former Old Trafford team-mate s display.
Let them talk, but the game speaks for itself, Ibrahimovic posted on Twitter, tagging Pogba alongside a picture of him holding the World Cup trophy.
Let them talk but the game speaks for itself
— Zlatan Ibrahimović (@Ibra_official)
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Fortress Britannia
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I think Arsenal will have just too much for Harry’s men.
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Neymar scored a milestone goal as Brazil piled the pressure on Argentina in World Cup qualifying with a 3-0 win on Thursday.
The Barcelona star netted his 50th international goal, to go with efforts from Philippe Coutinho and Paulinho, in the comfortable win.
The result heaps the pressure on Argentina, whose winless run in qualifying extended to four matches.
Edgardo Bauza s men rarely threatened despite the return of Lionel Messi, who was well contained by Tite s Brazil.
It means under Tite, Brazil – who are top of CONMEBOL qualifying – have won five out of five.
Coutinho struck with a stunner and Neymar scored just before the break to have Brazil in control, with Paulinho putting the Superclasico to bed just prior to the hour-mark.
Olympiacos have completed the signing of Juan Carlos Paredes from Watford.
The 29-year-old has joined the Greek champions on loan until the end of the season, with the option of making the move permanent in the next transfer window.
Watford wing-back Juan Carlos Paredes has secured a loan move to Olympiacos until the end of the 2016-17 season, the Premier League club said in a statement.
The Greek Superleague champions also have the option on a permanent deal for the Ecuador international in the summer.
Olympiacos signs Paredes:
— Olympiacos FC (@olympiacos_org)
The Ecuador international made 20 appearances in 2015-16 but has featured only once under Walter Mazzarri this season, in a 2-1 EFL Cup defeat to Gillingham on Augus…