Ekici sits out

Mehmet Ekici was not able to start his week on the training grounds as he had hoped but rather in bed at home. The 22-year-old missed Tuesday morning due to a grippe infection. "It's not clear when Memo will return to training," said Werder head coach Thomas Schaaf.

The Werder coach did have positive news about Sebastian Prödl, who at least was on the Weser Stadium pitch - though not among his teammates. "I had a short running session and did a little bit with the ball," said the Austrian. Prödl was due to complete an individual session in the afternoon. "Tomorrow I expect to be on hand," said Prödl.

Schaaf is also expecting the No. 15 player at training tomorrow at 10 a.m. "We will intensify his drills this afternoon and hope that he can go through full training tomorrow," said the coach. Since returning from the national team break, the 25-year-old Prödl has battled muscular problems in his thigh and had to sit out the small North Derby against Hannover.

Schaaf welcomed a new face to the grounds for the start of the training week ahead of the match against VfB Stuttgart as Manfred Schaub, the 54-year-old vice president of the Association of German Football Trainers (BDFL), is spending a week with the Green-Whites.