It was almost bound to happen one day. Rolf Breuer, the departing head of Deutsche Bank, has landed in hot water so regularly with his outspoken comments that the market has coined the term 'Breuerisms'.

Amusing as this can be, Leo Kirsch, the German media magnate, did not find one recent Breuerism very funny and is suing him for slander to the tune of &euro600m ($550m). Kirsch alleges that Breuer revealed confidential information about the Kirsch Group in a television interview, when the banker said the group was not creditworthy - just as it was looking for more financing.