 However, he had to wait until 26 February 2000 to make his competition debut, in a home match against FC Energie Cottbus.In the following two seasons, Friedrich was a defensive stalwart, scoring an astonishing eight goals – no penalties – in the latter as Mainz finished fourth, just one point shy of promotion.Those stellar performances attracted attention from the Bundesliga, and Friedrich signed with SV Werder Bremen, but his time there would be anything but successful as he only appeared once in the league in one and a half years combined, the final seven minutes of the 4–1 home triumph against FC Schalke 04 on 23 August 2003.