Andrea Pirlo, the guiding force in the Juventus revival over the past 18 months, said sorry after faltering when it mattered most in the 2-0 defeat at Bayern Munich on Tuesday.

Pirlo gave the ball away to Bastian Schweinsteiger as he tried to play his way out of defense inside the first 30 seconds of their Champions League quartefinal first leg and Austrian youngster David Alaba fired home.

Pirlo, the deep-lying playmaker who usually sprays passes effortlessly around the pitch and seems almost impossible to dispossess, was a shadow of his normal self.