Update: Photos from the Real Madrid v Getafe match added to the gallery as they come in.

The England team received a huge piece of luck yesterday and took a massive step away from the "dark side". Whether Max Clifford quit or was pushed, and the spin doctor will be working his contacts to make sure we think he quit, the bottom line is Max Clifford's grubby little hands are no longer in the England pie. Story here.

It is side-splittingly funny to watch how this man is so professional that his parting shots all damage his client. He actually attacks McClaren for not having stood up to the FA, implying that he is gutless, also implying that despite the spin he is not leaving of his own free will - as most people going on their way voluntarily don't take a couple of shots on the way out the door. I feel zero sympathy for McClaren and the mess he finds himself in. McClaren bought this on himself.

The trouble is Max Clifford has given his "client" terrible advice, made appallingly ill-timed and unwise comments to the press that have undermined McClaren as more and more fans began to wonder why Clifford was in a place to even comment on issues of selection. Now it remains to be seen if McClaren will have the courage and the common sense to undo the damage and reverse some of the poor decisions such as omitting Becks from the squad, that he and his "advisors" have made.

Nevertheless this is great news and it's with a spring in my step and a song in my heart that I'm off to get my coffee :-)