Schweinsteiger apologizes

First he celebrated with the Borussia Dortmund players, and then he mocked the entire club. World Cup winner and Bayern Munich legend Bastian Schweinsteiger has stirred up some drama after a recently released Internet video showed him taunting his rivals.

Schweinsteiger's gaffe was filmed at a bar in Munich, where he is singing: "BVB, sons of bitches." The video was apparently filmed two days after the World Cup final against Argentina, and went around the internet on the last weekend of July.

The 29-year-old has since released his own video apologizing to Borussia Dortmund.

"I'm speaking to you from my holiday because I've heard that a video has been released on the internet," said Schweinsteiger in a video message on his Facebook page.

"I'd like to apologize to the fans, members and players of Borussia Dortmund. I don't want to sugarcoat anything. It's a famous fan chant, but I didn't mean to offend anyone with the use of the expletive."

The midfielder went on to add that he gets on "really well" with the Dortmund players, "particularly Kevin Grosskreutz."

"Not cool"

BVB player Grosskreutz accepted the apology: "What you did wasn't cool, but I understand your explanation and I won't ever forget how much you've done for me," wrote the versatile player on his Facebook.

"Everyone makes mistakes and that should be the end of that."

World Cup winner Grosskreutz also made headlines before the tournament in Brazil, allegedly throwing a kebab after a night out in Cologne and urinating in a hotel lobby.

BVB chairman Hans-Joachim Watzke also sees the case as closed: "We won't make a fuss. We consider Schweinsteiger a decent chap to be honest."

At the World Cup, Schweinsteiger shared a room with Grosskreutz. "He helped me from the first day and made me more determined when I didn't play," said the Dortmund player.

"During this long time together, we became friends. Bastian even sent me birthday wishes while on holiday," added Großkreutz.

As much as Grosskreutz may have forgiven Schweinsteiger, the reception he receives when Bayern Munich face Borussia Dortmund in the German Super Cup on August 13th in the Signal Iduna Park will no doubt be a raucous one.

jh/jr (dpa, SID)