Bayern general manager Uli Hoeness said Kuffour, who still has 18 months to run on his contract, was fined after being seen in a Munich restaurant having lunch with Barcelona director Bernd Schuster.

But the player told Bild newspaper: "I am not a slave. Having lunch after practice is my right - no matter with whom and where.

"Besides, Hoeness doesn't even know what we talked about. He wasn't there, he only heard it from others."

Hoeness also had angry words for Barcelona president Joan Gaspart, who does not seem to have given up after having an official offer rejected in January.

"We fined Kuffour in an attempt to make him see reason," said Hoeness.

Fifa rules say clubs can only negotiate with players who have less than six months on their contracts.

Kuffour is already awaiting possible action following his assault on a referee after Ghana's World Cup qualifying defeat in Sudan at the end of last month.

The defender also strongly criticised some of his Black Stars' team-mates for using 'juju' or magic rituals before the match.

Double salary offer

Kuffour missed Bayern's first win in four league games at the weekend, but was seen having a meal with Schuster, a former midfielder with the Catalan club and Germany.