Werder Bremen defender Papy Djilobodji had his three-match ban reduced to two by the German FA on Wednesday after he made a throat-slitting gesture in a Bundesliga game with Mainz.

On Tuesday, the German FA banned and fined Djilobodji 15,000 euros ($16,757) for unsportsmanlike conduct after pulling his index finger across his throat in the direction of Mainz winger Pablo de Blasis last Saturday.

Bremen successfully appealed the decision, arguing that the Senegal international had simply made a bad decision.

They desperately need the on-loan Chelsea player to play as many matches as possible in their fight to avoid relegation.

"Papy Djilobodji's ban hits us hard and, of course, represents a blatant competitive disadvantage in the relegation battle," explained Werder's CEO Thomas Eichin.

"On top of that, we have to, and want to, protect our player, who has been downright criminalised in public, because of an ill-considered gesture which was certainly unfortunate."

The 27-year-old Djilobodji is set to miss Bremen's trip to Borussia Dortmund after the international break, plus their home match against Augsburg.

He is also banned for a further match at Wolfsburg after picking up his fifth yellow card against Mainz, but should return to face Hamburg away at the end of April.