Source: Daily_Mail
What the back pages say: August 5
DAILY MAIL: Rafa Benitez finally won his protracted battle of wills with Real Madrid last night by forcing them to pay £30million for Spain midfielder Xabi Alonso.
Also: Crisis club Portsmouth are now fighting among themselves with two of their players, David Nugent and Marc Wilson, fined a maximum two weeks' wages after a drunken late-night brawl on a trip to Portugal last week.
Read more: EXCLUSIVE: Portsmouth stars Nugent and Wilson in drunken hotel brawl shame
THE SUN: Alex Ferguson told Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez: You have no chance of winning the title.
Also: Didier Drogba last night agreed a new three-year contract at Chelsea worth over £100,000 a week. Â
DAILY MIRROR: Crisis club Portsmouth sunk to a new low after two of their players fought each other in a brutal hotel brawl during their trip to Portugal.
Wanted: Cesc Fabregas
Also: Liverpool finally agreed a £30million fee to sell Xabi Alonso last night. Â
DAILY EXPRESS: Rafa Benitez emerged triumphant from his power struggle with Real Madrid last night after the Spaniards caved in and met Liverpool's £30million asking price for Xabi Alonso.
Also: Arsenal are braced for a battle to hold on to Cesc Fabregas as AC Milan meet today to discuss a £30million bid for the Spaniard. Â
DAILY STAR: Liverpool last night finally agreed to sell Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid for £30m.
Also: Darren Bent's transfer to Sunderland was last night amazingly still in the balance.
Read more: Spurs' Bent on the brink of joining Sunderland after passing medical
THE TIMES: Security has been tightened for the fourth npower Test at Headingley Carnegie this week as English cricket seeks to halt growing criticism of unruly crowd behaviour during the Ashes series. Â
DAILY TELEGRAPH: Giles Clarke, the chairman of the England and Wales Cricket Board, will plead with supporters at the fourth Ashes Test, starting at Headingley on Friday, not to jeer Ricky Ponting, the Australia captain. Â
THE GUARDIAN: Rafael Benitez secured a bittersweet victory over Real Madrid last night when the Spanish club met his £30m demand for Xabi Alonso and took their summer spending spree through the £200m barrier.
THE INDEPENDENT: With the Ashes depending on it, England yesterday hesitated in selecting their most important Test team for four years.
Read more: Should Freddie be grounded? D-day for England's crocked talisman
Explore more:People:Ricky Ponting, Xabi Alonso, Rafa Benitez, Giles Clarke, Alex Ferguson, Didier Drogba, Darren Bent, Rafael Benitez, David NugentPlaces:Liverpool, Barcelona, Spain, United Kingdom, Portugal, AustraliaOrganisations:Wales Cricket Board
