By Chris Ives Last updated: 9th September 2008
Frings: Set to play in mask
Werder Bremen are set to welcome back Torsten Frings and Per Mertesacker against Energie Cottbus this weekend.
Mertesacker, who has yet to play this season following a knee operation, resumed training on Monday and hopes to be fit to face Cottbus.
Frings will play with a face mask after breaking his nose during a PR appointment last week.
"The mask does its job and I don't feel handicapped in any way," Frings told the German press.
"I have to get used to the fact that I have something over my face which tickles, but I have the whole week to do that."
The news is a major boost to title-hopefuls Bremen who have stumbled out of the Bundesliga starting blocks, collecting just two points from their opening three matches.

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| Time | Fixture |
|---|---|
| Saturday 28th November | |
| German Bundesliga | |
| 14:30 | Werder Bremen vs Wolfsburg |
| Thursday 3rd December | |
| Europa League | |
| 18:00 | Werder Bremen vs Nacional |
| Sunday 6th December | |
| German Bundesliga | |
| 14:30 | Cologne vs Werder Bremen |
| Saturday 12th December | |
| German Bundesliga | |
| 17:30 | Werder Bremen vs Schalke 04 |
| Wednesday 16th December | |
| Europa League | |
| 20:05 | Athletic Bilbao vs Werder Bremen |
| Saturday 19th December | |
| German Bundesliga | |
| 14:30 | Hamburg vs Werder Bremen |
| Saturday 16th January | |
| German Bundesliga | |
| 14:30 | Eintracht Frankfurt vs Werder Bremen |
| Saturday 23rd January | |
| German Bundesliga | |
| 14:30 | Werder Bremen vs Bayern Munich |
| Saturday 30th January | |
| German Bundesliga | |
| 14:30 | Borussia M'gladbach vs Werder Bremen |
| Saturday 6th February | |
| German Bundesliga | |
| 14:30 | Werder Bremen vs Hertha Berlin |
| Saturday 13th February | |
| German Bundesliga | |
| 14:30 | Hannover 96 vs Werder Bremen |
| Saturday 20th February | |
| German Bundesliga | |
| 14:30 | Werder Bremen vs Bayer Leverkusen |
| Saturday 27th February | |
| German Bundesliga | |
| 14:30 | Mainz vs Werder Bremen |
| Time | Result |
|---|---|
| Saturday 21st November | |
| German Bundesliga | |
| SC Freiburg 0 - 6 Werder Bremen | |
| Sunday 8th November | |
| German Bundesliga | |
| Werder Bremen 1 - 1 Borussia Dortmund | |
| Thursday 5th November | |
| Europa League | |
| Werder Bremen 2 - 0 FK Austria Vienna | |
| Saturday 31st October | |
| German Bundesliga | |
| Nurnberg 2 - 2 Werder Bremen | |
| Sunday 25th October | |
| German Bundesliga | |
| VfL Bochum 1 - 4 Werder Bremen | |
| Thursday 22nd October | |
| Europa League | |
| FK Austria Vienna 2 - 2 Werder Bremen | |
| Saturday 17th October | |
| German Bundesliga | |
| Werder Bremen 2 - 0 TSG Hoffenheim | |
| Sunday 4th October | |
| German Bundesliga | |
| VfB Stuttgart 0 - 2 Werder Bremen | |
| Thursday 1st October | |
| Europa League | |
| Werder Bremen 3 - 1 Athletic Bilbao | |
| Saturday 26th September | |
| German Bundesliga | |
| Werder Bremen 3 - 0 Mainz | |
| Sunday 20th September | |
| German Bundesliga | |
| Bayer Leverkusen 0 - 0 Werder Bremen | |
| Thursday 17th September | |
| Europa League | |
| Nacional 2 - 3 Werder Bremen | |
| Sunday 13th September | |
| German Bundesliga | |
| Werder Bremen 0 - 0 Hannover 96 | |
| Sunday 30th August | |
| German Bundesliga | |
| Hertha Berlin 2 - 3 Werder Bremen | |
| Thursday 27th August | |
| Europa League Qualifying | |
| Aktobe 0 - 2 Werder Bremen | |
| Sunday 23rd August | |
| German Bundesliga | |
| Werder Bremen 3 - 0 Borussia M'gladbach | |
| Thursday 20th August | |
| Europa League Qualifying | |
| Werder Bremen 6 - 3 Aktobe | |
| Saturday 15th August | |
| German Bundesliga | |
| Bayern Munich 1 - 1 Werder Bremen | |
| Saturday 8th August | |
| German Bundesliga | |
| Werder Bremen 2 - 3 Eintracht Frankfurt | |
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Werder Bremen | 13 | 26 |
| 2 | Bayer Leverkusen | 12 | 26 |
| 3 | Schalke | 13 | 25 |
| 4 | Hoffenheim | 13 | 23 |
| 5 | Hamburg | 12 | 23 |
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