IRNA - Mehdi Mahdavikia was dropped again from
Hamburg's starting line-up for Saturday's Bundesliga encounter with rivals
VfL Wolfsburg following his dismal performance in his team's 3-1 European
Champions League home thrashing against FC Porto, the online site of the
Bild newspaper said.
Mahdavikia will join Hamburg strikers Danijel Ljuboja and Boubacar Sanogo as
well as goalie Sascha Kirchstein on the reserve bench.
A self-declared Bundesliga championship contender, HSV are facing relegation
into the second division for the first time in its 33-year Bundesliga
history as the north German football club is currently ranked 15th in the
18-team first football division.
According to local press reports, Hamburger SV are not likely to extend the
Iranian defender's contract which is to end next summer.
Mahdavikia's high salary - estimated at 2.3 million euros per year - and his
recent woeful play in the Bundesliga and the Champions League are cited in
the German press as reasons for his imminent farewell from Hamburg.
The 29-year-old former Pirouzi player joined HSV in 2001 from VfL Bochum.
