A dejected Bastian Schweinsteiger (C) of Bayern Munich passes past German President Joachim Gauck (L) and UEFA President Michel Platini (R) during the award ceremony at the Allianz Arena in Munich Saturday. — Reuter

BERLIN – Bayern Munich midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger Monday apologized 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 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 apologize to the president for that.”

Torres doubts Chelsea
future after ‘worst’ time
Chelsea striker Fernando Torres has cast doubt over his future at the newly-crowned European champions, labelling this past season as the most difficult of his career.
The £50million Spain international, who hit just six league goals this season, told Spanish sports newspaper AS that he was extremely disappointed not to be in the starting line-up for Saturday’s Champions League final against Bayern Munich.
He added that he wants clarity over his role in the team.
“This season I have felt things that I hadn’t felt before. I feel that I have been treated in a manner I did not expect, not the way they said when I signed for the club,” Torres said. “We have had many conversations and now the season is finished we will talk to see what happens with my future because what I have gone through this year is not the role for which I came.
“There have been many highs and lows, many times I felt lost. I wasn’t sure what to do, I felt like I didn’t know where to be.”
Torres was an 84th-minute substitute at the Allianz Arena Saturday, earning the corner from which Didier Drogba equalized but did not take a penalty in the shootout.
Despite his limited contribution in Saturday’s showpiece, Torres admitted Chelsea’s improbable run to the Champions League title helped soothe his personal pain after a challenging year with the west London outfit.
“A victory like the one in Munich makes up for it, but I want someone to tell me what will happen in the future,” he said.
Torres joined the Blues from Liverpool in January 2011 but has struggled mightily to find his best form since moving to London. The striker found the back of the net just 11 times in all competitions this season and at one point endured a goalless drought of 25 hours before scoring twice in an FA Cup tie against Leicester in March. — AFP