Lionel Messi and Neymar have been training together for Paris Saint-Germain, but Mauricio Pochettino refused to comment whether the pair would feature against Brest.
PSG travel to Brest on Friday fresh from back-to-back Ligue 1 wins against Troyes and Strasbourg, the first time in three years they have begun a new domestic season in such fashion.
Despite a positive start to their campaign, interest continues to centre around Messi, who arrived in Paris after a shock exit from Barcelona amid the club's financial difficulties in August.
However, it remains unclear whether the highly anticipated pairing of Messi and Neymar will be reunited to form a formidable trio with Kylian Mbappe at Stade Francis-Le Ble.
"We haven’t decided the squad yet but we will do so shortly," Pochettino responded in Thursday's news conference when asked about Messi.
"We will analyse whether he can be in the squad. In terms of what Lionel Messi brings, everybody knows that.
"His presence here in terms of what he represents is something we have talked about a lot in recent days.
"I am pleased with how he has settled in and how he has connected with squad. When you have talent at this sort of club, the understanding is not just in the dressing room but also on the pitch."
As part of a fearsome frontline with Luis Suarez at Barcelona between 2014 and 2017, Messi and Neymar between them created 2.1 chances for one another per 90 minutes, resulting in 22 assists for the duo.
But, like Suarez when he moved to Barcelona, it is Messi who will have to quickly link-up with an already established pairing, Mbappe and Neymar.
Neymar's injury troubles have meant that he and Mbappe have only played 3,552 minutes together – less than half as many as Messi and Suarez – though they have combined for 102 chances (2.6 per 90) and 21 assists (one every 169 minutes).
However, as with questioning over Messi's inclusion, Pochettino kept his cards close to his chest as to whether Neymar would feature.
"As I said, we are assessing that and of course, we take physical and footballing attributes into account," the head coach reiterated. "Within the squad, we have to find the right balance."
Mbappe, who is the only player to have recorded more than one assist following a ball carry in Ligue 1 this term (two), is the third part of Pochettino's forward puzzle, but his future remains in question.
With just a year left on his current deal, links to Real Madrid were expected to be quashed by Messi's arrival as the Frenchman realises his opportunity to challenge for Champions League glory at the Parc des Princes.
"I think he [Kylian Mbappe] is very motivated and working hard ahead of this season," the former Tottenham boss added. "We are thinking the same things we have been thinking in recent weeks. He is our player and I want him to be here this season."
"The most important thing is Kylian Mbappe is calm and knows what he is doing. He knows what he wants to do. We know that he is our player. We want him to be here.
"My conversations with Kylian Mbappe are all about football. He has another year on his contract and even if he doesn’t renew, he is still a PSG player and we are pleased with him, and from what I understand, he is pleased with us."
Lazio have completed the signing of Pedro from arch-rivals Roma.
The former Spain winger will remain in the Eternal City in a new era for Lazio under Maurizio Sarri.
Lazio did not state whether they had paid a fee for Pedro or the length of contract he has signed.
The 34-year-old was not part of Jose Mourinho's plans and has now been reunited with Sarri, who he played under at Chelsea.
Pedro has been given the number nine shirt after passing a medical on Thursday.
The former Barcelona wideman made 27 appearances for Roma in Serie A last season, scoring five goals and providing two assists.
Pedro created 29 chances and had a dribble success rate of 64.44.
Lazio travel to Empoli for their first game of the 2021-22 Serie A season on Saturday.
Bayern Munich could be without Manuel Neuer for Sunday's home clash with Cologne after the goalkeeper missed training on Thursday.
Neuer pulled off four saves to help Bayern to a 3-1 win over DFB-Pokal holders Borussia Dortmund in the DFL-Supercup on Tuesday.
The 35-year-old was on top form to deny Marco Reus – who later curled in a sublime consolation goal – and Erling Haaland in the first half at Signal Iduna Park.
His save from Reus was particularly excellent, the Germany goalkeeper sticking out a leg to deny the Dortmund captain, whose effort had an expected goals (xG) estimation of 0.596, which registered it as the second-best chance of the match overall.
However, in the second half, Neuer had to take extra time over taking a goal-kick after he had been clipped on the ankle by Haaland, who had attempted to pressurise the Bayern captain.
That tackle has now resulted in an injury for Neuer, with Bayern confirming he was unable to train on Thursday.
"Manuel Neuer sustained a capsule [joint] injury in his right ankle during the Supercup victory over Dortmund, so the captain will not take part in today's training," a Bayern tweet read.
It remains to be seen whether Neuer will be fit enough to be involved in Julian Nagelsmann's first Bundesliga home game in charge of Bayern.
Steve Smith, David Warner, Glenn Maxwell and Pat Cummins are the big names who will return to the Australia set up for the T20 World Cup.
The four stars did not feature in Australia's recent tours of the West Indies and Bangladesh. Aaron Finch's team suffered a 4-1 defeat in the latter series, while they also lost the T20 series to the Windies.
However, Australia's white-ball captain will be able to call on big hitters Smith, Warner and Maxwell, as well as paceman Cummins, for the World Cup, which takes place in the United Arab Emirates and Oman in October and November.
They are joined by Josh Inglis, who has been rewarded for his outstanding form with a first international call-up.
The wicketkeeper-batsman has had a brilliant domestic season in both Australia and England, having been the leading run scorer in county cricket's T20 competition, and takes his place in the 15-man squad.
"Josh has been on our radar for some time with his performances in white ball cricket and more recently in the Vitality Blast where he topped the run charts," selection chair George Bailey said.
"He offers the squad flexibility in the batting order with his adaptability, counterattacking ability and power striking. He is a player we are excited about for the future."
Alex Carey is the biggest name to miss out at Inglis' expense, with Matthew Wade the first-choice wicketkeeper.
Nathan Ellis, Dan Christian and Daniel Sams have been named as travelling reserves.
Australia's T20 World Cup squad:
Aaron Finch (c), Ashton Agar, Pat Cummins (vc), Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Kane Richardson, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Matthew Wade, David Warner, Adam Zampa. Travelling reserves: Dan Christian, Nathan Ellis, Daniel Sams.
This should have been a season for Inter fans to enjoy, on the back of a title triumph and with European football returning to some semblance of normality.
Instead, they have lost coach Antonio Conte, top scorer Romelu Lukaku and standout wing-back Achraf Hakimi. Talk of a Tottenham move for Lautaro Martinez – seemingly linked to Harry Kane's future – has not been ruled out entirely.
It leaves the reigning Serie A champions picking up the pieces, with the club's dire financial situation dampening hopes of a successful title defence.
Although there have also been new arrivals, Simone Inzaghi and a 35-year-old Edin Dzeko clearly are not in the same class as Conte and Lukaku.
Inter will be slightly different this season and it is highly likely they will be slightly worse for it.
Downgrade to Dzeko
In Lukaku, Inter have sold a player in his prime coming off his best campaign to date. In Dzeko, the Nerazzurri have brought in a veteran whose Serie A career just plunged to new depths.
Lukaku netted 24 times en route to Inter's Scudetto, while Dzeko's final year with Roma brought only seven league goals.
The Bosnia-Herzegovina international did play a mere 1,825 minutes, but it was his poor form while on the pitch that saw him limited to 20 starts despite featuring in 31 matchday squads.
Dzeko's shot conversion rate of 10 per cent was higher than in two of his seasons in the capital and only margainally lower than 2017-18's 10.5 per cent when he scored 16 times. The decreasing frequency of his attempts was an issue, managing just 3.5 shots per 90 minutes, a trough to contrast to the 2016-17 peak of 5.3.
Inter's new forward fell some way short of his expected goals (xG) total of 13.3 – a failing only partially explained by the expertise of opposition goalkeepers, who prevented 3.6 Dzeko goals according to expected goals on target (xGOT) data, which analyses the quality of the shot rather than the quality of the chance.
Lukaku, on the other hand, outstripped his xG figure of 23.8, even if his attempts were only worth 22.9 xGOT.
It is not only as a scorer that Dzeko slips below Lukaku's standards either. Chelsea's latest record buy was a creative force last term, providing 11 assists. Dzeko had three.
Indeed, Lukaku crafted a team-high 52 chances – or 9.4 per cent of Inter's 552 shots across the campaign – while Dzeko laid on 29 (5.3 per cent of Roma's attempts). Dzeko was more involved in build-up play than Lukaku, averaging 49.7 open play sequences per 90 to his predecessor's 44.4, but he could not match Lukaku in terms of passing accuracy (68.8 per cent), passing accuracy in the opposition half (64.8) or passing accuracy in the final third (58.5).
Unsurprisingly, the former Giallorossi favourite also cannot play at the same pace as Lukaku. Dzeko was involved in only six fast breaks to Lukaku's league-leading 17, although he did score twice from such situations. Roma were second in the league in this regard – behind Inter.
But even if the Nerazzurri do slow slightly with Dzeko in the side, his work in moving the ball up the field is still comparable to Lukaku's. He had more carries (7.9) and progressive carries (4.5) than Lukaku last term, while operating in the same ballpark for carry distance (92.6 metres), attempted dribbles (2.9) and completed dribbles (1.3) – all numbers per 90.
The percentage of his touches Dzeko took in the opposition box (17.3) tallied closely (18.3 per cent for Lukaku), too, with the previously prolific attacker's game peculiarly now suited to work away from goal.
An aerial force
As part of his link-up play, Dzeko offers a clear focal point. His 60.4 per cent success rate in aerial duels ranked fourth among Serie A forwards with 100 or more such tussles. Lukaku won only 42.9 per cent in a category led by Zlatan Ibrahimovic (65.7 per cent). Dzeko's 52 flick-ons also put him fourth.
But Dzeko's heading ability does also give Inter a greater threat inside the penalty area. The striker was joint-third for headed attempts (20, excluding blocks), with his 1.0 per 90 double Lukaku's 0.5. As with his feet, Dzeko was wasteful in this regard, scoring only one header while new Inter colleague Martinez nodded in four goals, but a greater sample size shows the danger he can pose. Since his 2015 Serie A debut, Dzeko leads the way for headed attempts (203, excluding blocks) and his 16 goals – making up 18.8 per cent of his total of 85 – are tied for third.
Dzeko therefore looks a good fit in an Inter side who last season topped the charts in succeeding with 24.6 per cent of their open play crosses, leading to a joint-high 92 headed shots and 14 headed goals.
Whether that crossing quality is still at the club is another matter.
Inter's wings clipped
Only nine defenders in Serie A last term attempted 100 crosses, but Hakimi, marauding up the right, was one of them. Within that select group, his crossing accuracy of 23.9 per cent ranked third – just ahead of Leonardo Spinazzola, another exciting wing-back and Dzeko's former Roma team-mate (23.5 per cent).
Hakimi's departure for Paris Saint-Germain robs Inter of that quality and the 36 chances he created. There is pressure on Denzel Dumfries, a €12.5million recruit, to fill that void. He created 41 chances in the Eredivisie last season, yet only five of his 50 crosses were successful.
That ability to deliver from wide positions is merely one of Hakimi's array of attributes, too, with the €60m man carrying the ball 22.7 metres further per 90 than Dumfries while also contributing a goal or assist every 178.1 minutes, compared to the Netherlands international's 308.5 minutes.
Inter should at least have increased creativity from midfield, where free signing Hakan Calhanoglu offers an upgrade on the recuperating Christian Eriksen. Calhanoglu, playing for rivals Milan, had league highs in chances created (98) and chances created from set-pieces (50) in 2020-21. Milan led Serie A in goals from set-pieces (16, excluding penalties), but Inter ranked joint-fourth (16) and will surely now improve.
Trying to run it back
If mixed results are anticipated from direct replacements for Lukaku, Hakimi and Eriksen, those moves at least indicate some unlikely joined-up thinking in spite of the chaotic nature of this off-season. Inzaghi's appointment also suggests Inter plan to change little from last season, even with the numerous notable departures.
Like Conte and Inter, Inzaghi's Lazio consistently lined up with a 3-5-2 formation in 2020-21, with their approaches also not dissimilar.
Lazio's press was a little more aggressive, allowing 11.6 passes per defensive action to Inter's 12.8 and also engaging in more pressed sequences (543) despite having slightly more possession (52.9 per cent) than Inter (52.0 per cent). Lazio also scored eight goals from high turnovers.
However, between the replacement of a speedy Lukaku with a slower Dzeko and Inter's pre-existing preference for build-up attacks (119) over direct attacks (80), Inzaghi's playing style might have to be a little more patient this term, even if the new number nine's physical presence will give them an outlet.
These are minor tweaks, though, that should mean Inzaghi can adapt to Inter or Inter to Inzaghi.
Defending champions have rarely had it so tough when preparing for a new campaign, but Inter have done all they can to ensure a new-look side can continue to find success.
Two-way Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani produced another masterclass in Wednesday's 3-1 win over the Detroit Tigers.
Ohtani hit his 40th home run of the MLB season and dominated across eight innings on the mound midweek.
The Japanese sensation allowed six hits, while striking out eight batters and walking none.
Ohtani became the first MLB player to register 40 homers in a season that he pitched at least 15 games. The previous record was Babe Ruth's 29 in 1919.
He also has 18 steals in 122 games for the Angels this season. According to Stats Perform, the only player in major history to reach 40 homers and 15 stolen bases in fewer team games was Ken Griffey Jr. in 1998 (117th game).
Dodgers roll on
World Series champions the Los Angeles Dodgers blanked the Pittsburgh Pirates 9-0 for their sixth consecutive victory. Max Muncy had two home runs to fuel the Dodgers, who moved within three games of the National League (NL) West-leading San Francisco Giants. San Francisco lost 6-2 to the New York Mets. Mitch White became the first Dodgers reliever to go 7.1 scoreless innings pitched since Ed Roebuck in 1960.
The Atlanta Braves edged the Miami Marlins 11-9. Freddie Freeman hit for the cycle for the second time in his career. According to Stats Perform, Freeman is the first NL first baseman in history to hit for the cycle more than once.
Red Sox swept by Yankees
The Boston Red Sox left New York emptyhanded after being swept by American League (AL) East rivals the Yankees following a 5-2 victory. Nick Pivetta gave up four runs in the second inning.
Polanco does it again
Jorge Polanco delivered another walk-off win for the Minnesota Twins, this time an 8-7 victory over the Cleveland Indians after 11 innings. Polanco hit a game-ending based-loaded single. Each of the last three Minnesota victories have ended with a Polanco walk off. He is the first player with a walk-off RBI in three consecutive team wins since David Ortiz in the 2004 playoffs and first in the regular season since Tony Pena in 1982, per Stats Perform.
Wednesday's results
Chicago Cubs 7-1 Cincinnati Reds
Minnesota Twins 8-7 Cleveland Indians
Colorado Rockies 7-5 San Diego Padres
New York Mets 6-2 San Francisco Giants
Washington Nationals 8-5 Toronto Blue Jays
New York Yankees 5-2 Boston Red Sox
Los Angeles Angels 3-1 Detroit Tigers
Atlanta Braves 11-9 Miami Marlins
Tampa Bay Rays 8-4 Baltimore Orioles
Milwaukee Brewers 6-4 St Louis Cardinals
Seattle Mariners 3-1 Texas Rangers
Kansas City Royals 3-2 Houston Astros
Chicago White Sox 3-2 Oakland Athletics
Arizona Diamondbacks 4-2 Philadelphia Phillies
Los Angeles Dodgers 9-0 Pittsburgh Pirates
Mets at Dodgers
The Dodgers (75-46) will put their winning streak on the line when they host the Mets (60-60) on Thursday. Max Scherzer toes the mound for the Dodgers, while the Mets will counter with Rich Hill.
Kevin Durant and Draymond Green blamed Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr and the franchise's management for mishandling the pair's infamous on-court spat, which led to the former leaving the team.
Durant and Green were involved in a heated verbal exchange against the Los Angeles Clippers in November 2018, with the argument reportedly continuing in the locker room post-game.
Green was suspended for one game by the Warriors as a result.
Durant eventually departed the Warriors via free agency at the end of the season, joining the Brooklyn Nets.
Warriors team-mates from 2016 to 2019 – winning two NBA championships, Durant and Green spoke about the incident.
"It wasn't the argument," Durant said on Bleacher Report show 'Chips' when asked how much the argument contributed in his decision to leave Golden State.
"It was the way that everybody -- Steve Kerr -- acted like it didn't happen. [General manager] Bob Myers tried to just discipline you [Green] and think that would put the mask over everything."
Green recalled: "'Y'all are about to f*** this up. I said, 'The only person that can make this right is me and K [Durant]. And there is nothing that y'all can do, and y'all are going to f*** this up.' And in my opinion, they f***** it up."
"I think so too," responded Durant, who averaged 26.0 points, 6.4 rebounds and 5.9 assists with the Warriors in 2018-19 before suffering an Achilles injury in Game 5 of the NBA Finals.
Durant added: "I remember watching 'The Last Dance,' and when Scottie [Pippen] didn't go into the game, the whole team in the locker room said, 'Scottie, that was f***** up that you did that.'
"We needed that. We just needed to throw all of that s*** on the table and say, 'Yo Dray, K, that was f***** up that we even had to go through that.'
"Let's just wipe our hands with that and go finish the task. ... I didn't think we did that. We just tried to dance around it. I just didn't like, just the vibe between all of that, it just made s*** weird to me."
Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers said he does not want the 2021 season to be a "farewell tour" amid uncertainty over his future.
Rodgers will play for the Packers this upcoming NFL campaign after the veteran star and franchise came to an agreement to ensure the 37-year-old remained in Green Bay for another season, having initially pushed to leave.
The reigning MVP and Super Bowl champion had considered retirement during his stand-off with the Packers before the two parties found common ground, though there is not much certainty beyond this season.
"I don't want a farewell tour," Rodgers said on Wednesday. "I don't know what's going to happen after the season, but I'm going to enjoy it with the right perspective, for sure, and not look at it as I'm getting through this. I'm going to enjoy the hell out of all of it."
Rodgers amassed 48 touchdowns, five interceptions and a completion rate of 70.7 per cent for the Packers – who lost to eventual Super Bowl champions the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
His quarterback rating of 121.5 puts him second on the all-time list among qualifiers, behind only his 2011 campaign (122.5).
In total, Rodgers completed 372 of 526 attempts for 4,299 yards as the Packers topped the NFC North with a 13-3 record to clinch home-field advantage and the top seed in the NFC playoffs for the first time since 2011.
Rodgers is level with Tom Brady, Brett Favre, Johnny Unitas and Jim Brown with three MVP honours – only Peyton Manning (five) has more in NFL history.
On thinking 2020 might have been his final year in Green Bay, where he has spent his entire career, Rodgers added: "The reason I approached it like that is I just knew when the [Love] pick was made that the clock had started, for sure. And I thought unless there was something in the season that really made me feel like I'm going to be here past 2021 that maybe this would be my last year.
"I didn't want to be going into a year with some sort of ... as a lame duck, like I said. I didn't think that was fair to what I accomplished and what I mean to this team, and nothing really changed in that regard. I went into the offseason, that [it] could have been it."
"I'm glad that I enjoyed every moment, I'm glad that I led exactly the way I wanted to lead and looked for those conversations with certain guys that needed a pick-me-up at different times. I took the headphones off and enjoyed the surroundings and the road trips and the time with the guys. Yeah, it's a good template, for sure."
Antoine Griezmann is "happy and proud" after reaching 100 appearances for Barcelona and the French star is targeting history with the LaLiga giants.
Griezmann brought up his century of games in Sunday's 4-2 rout of Real Sociedad and almost marked the occasion with his 36th goal for Barca, only to be denied by the crossbar.
With big shoes to fill after the departure of Lionel Messi to Paris Saint-Germain, Barca head coach Ronald Koeman will be hoping the forward can team up with recruit Memphis Depay to fire Barca back to the top of LaLiga.
Griezmann, who arrived from Atletico Madrid in 2019, told the club's media on Wednesday: "I am happy and proud to have reached this figure.
"It was very important to get a win in the first game with the fans back, who we haven't seen for so long. It was a good game and hopefully, we can now get another win against Athletic [Bilbao]."
Since arriving in 2019, no player has played more games for Barca, while only Messi (8003) and Marc-Andre ter Stegen (8040) have racked up more minutes than Griezmann's 7,497.
France international Griezmann sits behind Messi for goal involvements in that time, too, having recorded 51 direct involvements – 19 more than the departed third-place Luis Suarez, who fired Atletico to their first LaLiga title since 2013-14 last term.
Griezmann's returns do not just impress up against his team-mates, though, given only Suarez (42), Villarreal's Gerard Moreno (51) and Real Madrid star Karim Benzema (59) have scored more among LaLiga forwards since the Frenchman's switch to Barca.
While Griezmann remains a long way behind his 94 goals for Diego Simeone's Atletico, his 20 goals across all competitions last season – the same as his goal involvements in LaLiga – did see him finish as Barca's second-highest goalscorer.
Having not added to his 35-goal tally yet this campaign, that return means he is 14 goals away from Thierry Henry (49) as the highest-scoring Frenchman for Koeman's side, Ludovic Giuly third with 26.
However, it is not just his finishing abilities that standout during his Camp Nou career.
Only Messi (233) and Jordi Alba (131) have created more chances than Griezmann (107), who also ranks third at the club behind the same pair for 'big' chances created, defined by Opta, with 26.
In a side dependent on the link-up play of their forwards to unleash the likes of Ansu Fati, Alba and Ousmane Dembele, it is apparent why Koeman has challenged the 30-year-old to improve on those figures to be the spearhead and guide his team to glory.
Nevertheless, the former Sociedad man is looking forward to continuing life at Camp Nou.
"I hope I get to play another 100 games and carry on giving everything to make history with this club," Griezmann added. "I want to keep helping the team both on and off the pitch, in attack and defence, and enjoying being at Barca."
The Jamaica duo of Tina Clayton and Kerrica Hill advanced to the final of the women’s 100m, in contrasting fashion, at the World Athletics U20 Championships, in Nairobi, Kenya, on Tuesday.
In semifinal 1 Clayton put on a dominant display of sprinting to easily clear the rest of the field before stopping the clock at 11.34. Serbia’s Ivana Ilic was second in 11.50 and secured the other qualifying spot. Romania’s Maria Mihalache was third in 11.64 but did not advance.
Hill has a much more difficult time of things in semifinal 2. It was Namibia’s Beatrice Masilingi who put away that field, claiming the top spot in 11.35. Switzerland’s Melissa Gutschmidt was second in 11.50 and Viktória Forster third in 11.54. Hill was third in 11.60 but still managed to advance as one of the fastest losers.
Semifinal three was won by Nigeria’s Praise Ofoku in 11.57, with Czech Republic’s Eva Kubíčková securing the second automatic qualifying spot after finishing second in 11.64. The Bahamas’ Camille Rutherford took third spot in Trinidad and Tobago’s in 11.72, while Trinidad and Tobago’s Leah Bertrand was fourth in 11.80.
In the men’s equivalent, Cuba’s Shainer Rengifo was one of two Caribbean athletes to advance to the final, after finishing second in semifinal 3. The event was won by Nigeria’s Godson Oke Oghenebrume who claimed first place in 10.22. Bahamian athlete Carlos Brown was fourth. Jamaica’s Brian Levell faced the starter for semifinal 2 but was disqualified after a false start.
The race was won by Oman's Ali Anwar Ali AL Balushi who won the event in a new national record of 10.27. Italy’s Matteo Melluzzo was second in 10.29, with South Africa’s Benjamin Richardson third in 10.30. Grenada’s Nazzio John was fourth in a personal best 10.32. John and Melluzzo secured qualifying positions as the fastest losers.
Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo was the winner of semifinal 1 in a quick 10.11, with Poland’s Oliwer Wdowik also securing a spot after finishing second in 10.37. Jamaica’s Alicke Cranston finished last in 10.94.
Two-time US Open champion Venus Williams has been given a wildcard entry to participate in this year's tournament.
The 41-year-old American will be making her 23rd appearance at Flushing Meadows and a 15th in a row.
Williams, who has not missed a grand slam since Wimbledon in 2013, is one of eight wild card selections for the women's singles draw.
Former semi-finalist CoCo Vandeweghe and Emma Navarro are joined by teenagers Hailey Baptiste, Ashlyn Krueger, Caty McNally and Katie Volynets.
Storm Sanders has been awarded a reciprocal wild card in agreement with Tennis Australia.
Naomi Osaka will be looking to defend her title in New York, with the main draw scheduled to run from August 30 to September 11.
Jasper Philipsen hailed an "incredible" team performance from Alpecin-Fenix after he clinched his second stage victory of this year's Vuelta a Espana.
Philipsen, who won stage 15 last year and triumphed in stage two three days ago, edged a bunch sprint at the culmination of a crash-hit stage five on Wednesday.
The 23-year-old powered away on the final straight of a 184.4 kilometre flat route into Albacete, crossing the line ahead of Tuesday's winner Fabio Jakobsen and Alberto Dainese.
"It makes it even more beautiful if you see the final five kilometres how we were there together all with the team. I cannot describe that," said the Belgian, who also took the green jersey as the points leader.
"This team, we haven't been riding so long together but it's incredible what we all do for each other, and I think it's so beautiful to finish it off together.
"After yesterday I was a bit disappointed that I couldn't do my sprint how I wanted but to win today is super nice to turn a page from yesterday and enjoy this moment together with the team."
His victory came after the group split with around 11km remaining – an incident that held up leader Rein Taaramae.
With Taaramae falling back, Kenny Elissonde nipped in to take La Roja, though Jumbo-Visma's Primoz Roglic, the two-time defending champion, is only five seconds behind ahead of a summit finish in stage six.
"This is not the way I wanted to take jersey, but we know in cycling that when there's wind there's risk," said Elissonde.
"Okay, I don't like it, it was not a pleasure, but at the end of the day I cannot do anything else. It is what it is.
"It's still incredible to wear the jersey. After the Tour [de France] and Olympics, I took it easy, my team said 'Kenny, go to the Vuelta and see day by day', and look. It's incredible. It's super cool."
STAGE RESULT
1. Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Fenix) 04:24:41
2. Fabio Jakobsen (Deceuninck-QuickStep) same time
3. Alberto Dainese (Team DSM) same time
4. Juan Sebastian Molano Benavides (UAE Team Emirates) same time
5. Piet Allegaert (COFIDIS) same time
CLASSIFICATION STANDINGS
General Classification
1. Kenny Elissonde (Trek–Segafredo) +17:33:57
2. Primoz Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) +0:05
3. Lilian Calmejane (AG2R Citroen Team) +0:10
Points Classification
1. Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Fenix) 131
2. Fabio Jakobsen (Deceuninck-QuickStep) 130
3. Arnaud Demare (Groupama-FDJ) 50
King of the Mountains
1. Rein Taaramae (Intermarche-Wanty-Gobert) 10
2. Kenny Elissonde (Trek–Segafredo) 7
3. Joe Dombrowski (UAE Team Emirates) 6
What's next?
A 158.3km route from Requena to Alto de la Montana de Cullera descends into a mostly flat run until a sharp, category three summit finish.
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