Mertesacker back for Germany

Werder Bremen defender Per Mertesacker is back in the Germany squad to face Cyprus next week.

The 22-year-old has not played for his country since the World Cup due to injury, but is now ready to return to the international fray in the Euro 2008 qualifier.

Germany coach Joachim Low has kept faith with Alemannia Aachen's Jan Schlaudraff, despite the striker being suspended by club boss Michael Frontzeck earlier this week.

With Bayern Munich striker Lukas Podolski out of the squad through injury, Wolfsburg's Mike Hanke is widely expected to start the match alongside Miroslav Klose.

Germany squad to face Cyprus on November 15:

Jens Lehmann (Arsenal), Timo Hildebrand (Stuttgart); Malik Fathi (Hertha Berlin), Arne Friedrich (Hertha Berlin), Manuel Friedrich (Mainz), Clemens Fritz (Werder Bremen), Per Mertesacker (Werder Bremen), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Münich); Michael Ballack (Chelsea), Torsten Frings (Werder Bremen), Thomas Hitzlsperger (Stuttgart), David Odonkor (Betis Sevilla), Bernd Schneider (Bayer Leverkusen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Piotr Trochowski (Hamburg); Mike Hanke (Wolfsburg), Miroslav Klose (Werder Bremen), Oliver Neuville (Borussia Monchengladbach), Jan Schlaudraff (Alemannia Aachen)