Schweinsteiger apologises for snubbing German president

Bayern Munich midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger on Monday apologised for not shaking the hand of German President Joachim Gauck after the German club's Champions League defeat to Chelsea in Munich at the weekend.

A photo of a vacant-looking Schweinsteiger, the losing team's silver medal in his hand, walking past Gauck's extended hand without even looking at the President featured in most German newspapers on Monday.

Schweinsteiger missed his penalty kick in the decisve shootout as Chelsea won 4-3 on penalties after the tie had ended 1-1 after extra-time.

"It's absolutley not the case, it's a misunderstanding," Schweinsteiger said in a statement issued through the Bavarian club of the apparent snub.

"If you put yourself, even a little bit, in my situation and if you look at the photo, you can see I'm completely in my own world after such a dissapointment.

"I was shocked, dissapointed, like paralysed. I just didn't see the President's hand."

"I'm sorry I gave another impression at that time. I want to apologise to the President for that."