Stuttgart's former Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has been dropped from the first-team squad for paying a visit to Oktoberfest at the weekend. The 39-year-old was spotted at Munich's beer festival only hours after his side had been beaten 2-0 by Cologne in the Bundesliga, and had not been given permission to attend.

"[The director of sport] Horst Heldt and I will talk with Jens about this on Thursday and then we will see where to go," said the coach Markus Babbel on the club's website, confirming that Lehmann would not be part of the squad who travel to face Lubeck in the second round of the DFB-Pokal (German Cup) on Wednesday.

Lehmann apologised for breaking club rules and accepted the suspension, but claimed his motives were good.

"The visit to the Wiesn [Oktoberfest] was part of a charity event and it had been planned for a long time," he said after training today. "However, it was not agreed with the club. Of course I accept the measures taken by the sporting management."

Lehmann committed an error to gift Cologne their second goal at the weekend when he raced out of his area only to lose possession and allow Wilfried Sanou to shoot into an empty net from 45 yards out.