OMNISPORT 

Bayern Munich have issued an apology after the Italian media linked a graphic posted on the club's official Twitter page to images of the World War II concentration camp at Auschwitz.

Bayern host Juventus in the last-16 of the Champions League on Wednesday, with the tie poised at 2-2 following the opening leg in Turin.

In a post promoting the match, Bayern used Juventus's club motto "Fino alla fine", which translates as "until the end" and, in anticipation of a home win, added the Italian caption "Quie la fine" or "here is the end".

The Juve motto is shown crossed out on a train track leading towards Bayern's Allianz Arena and Italian publications Tuttosport and Gazzetta dello Sport drew similarities between the graphic and images of the train tracks that transported more than a million people to their deaths at the infamous Nazi camp in Poland.

"Unfortunately, our matchday graphic has been misunderstood to represent historic events, something which was never intended," a statement from Bayern read.

"If we have hurt the feelings of Juventus fans in particular or any other users as a result, we sincerely apologise.

"Our only intention with the graphic was to play on the sporting aspect of this evening's Champions League last-16 tie, whereby one of the two teams has to exit the competition."

Bayern press officer Markus Hörwick added: "This graphic has been made by young people who have no idea of German history."