What the back pages say: China wows the world with Olympics opener, Benitez at crisis point with American owners, KP starts as he means to go on with 100

Also: Kevin Keegan's marginalisation at Newcastle has been compounded by the departure of key ally Arthur Cox.

THE TIMES: Rafael Benitez's relationship with Liverpool's owners reached crisis point last night when it emerged that not only had Tom Hicks and George Gillett Jr vetoed the manager's bid to buy Gareth Barry but that the American duo had turned down an offer of a £12 million interest-free loan to help to buy the Aston Villa midfield player.

Also: Sir Alex Ferguson welcomed Cristiano Ronaldo back to Manchester United yesterday and then raised the possibility of the Portugal forward agreeing a new contract at Old Trafford as the manager attempted to quash Real Madrid's hopes of signing the player in the future.

THE INDEPENDENT: Kevin Pietersen does not like being upstaged, least of all by an event as inconsequential as the Olympics, so it came as little surprise to see him focus his mind, hone his skills and post a majestic hundred in his first innings as England captain here yesterday.

Also: It was all that was promised here in the fabulous chameleon of the stadium known as the Bird's Nest. It then spread like the magic fire of some great forest across the vast and, for so long, hidden land.

DAILY TELEGRAPH: When Yao Ming, all seven and a bit feet of him, marched into the Beijing National Stadium carrying the flag of China, all those claims about the construction, all that boasting about the 45,000 tons of raw steel that have gone into its foundation, were put to the test.

Also: If there are higher powers at work in cricket they left the stage to Kevin Pietersen, as England's latest captain scored a hundred at the Oval on his leadership debut.

THE GUARDIAN: Consolation it may be but Kevin Pietersen, his first match in charge sprinkled with stardust, is well on the way to winning the final Test.

Also: Gokhan Inler has moved closer to securing a transfer to Arsenal after his agent revealed he had held productive talks with the manager, Arsene Wenger.

THE SUN: Rafa Benitez is on collision course with Liverpool's American owners over Gareth Barry.

Also: Andrei Arshavin has vowed  to whine his way into a move to Tottenham.

DAILY MIRROR: Rafa Benitez is on a collision course with Liverpool's owners that threatens to rip the club apart.

Also: Chelsea were last night preparing the next stage of their attempt to land striker Robinho after Real Madrid rebuffed the opening offer.

DAILY STAR: Furious Rafa Benitez is on collision course again with Liverpool's owners after they pulled the plug on his £18m bid for Gareth Barry.

Also: Cristiano Ronaldo is back in the fold at Manchester United - and Sir Alex Ferguson says that he's set to stay.

DAILY EXPRESS: Kevin Pietersen last night insisted he would have taken more pleasure seeing Steve Harmison hit a maiden half-century than he did reaching his own hundred as England piled more pressure on South Africa at the Brit Oval.

Also: Sir Alex Ferguson has told Real Madrid to forget signing Cristiano Ronaldo in the future, predicting he will be at Manchester United for the rest of his career.