Ballack set to return for Germany

Playmaker Michael Ballack looks set to return for Germany when they play the Faroe Islands in their European Championship qualifier on Wednesday.

The Bayern Munich player, who had been suffering from influenza, joined the World Cup finalists' training camp on Sunday.

"Michael is our most important player, he's in good condition and he will play," Germany coach Rudi Voeller told reporters on Monday at the camp in Barsinghausen, just outside Hanover.

Ballack, whose playmaking skills and scoring instinct are vital to Germany, missed the national team's last outing -- a 1-1 draw with Bosnia in a friendly in Sarajevo on Friday.

Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann, who did not play against Bosnia either because of a torn Achilles tendon, took part in training on Sunday and should also be back for the group five fixture in Hanover.

Voeller, though, will miss Borussia Dortmund defender Christoph Metzelder, who is out with a persistent heel injury.

The German Football Association (DFB) said central defender Christian Woerns has been cleared to play by European ruling body UEFA despite picking a red card against Bosnia.

The Borussia Dortmund player should be suspended for Germany's next game -- a friendly with the Netherlands on November 20 in Gelsenkirchen.

Three-times European and world champions Germany, who lost 2-0 to Brazil in this year's World Cup final, started their Euro 2004 qualifying campaign with a 2-0 victory in Lithuania in September.