Mahdavikia joins Reds to end career

Iranian football player Mehdi Mahdavikia will play for his former club, Persepolis, in the second half of Iran's Premier League as part of his march to conclude his international athletic career. On Sunday, the 34-year-old Damash Gilan midfielder signed up with the Tehran-based football team for a 6-month contract after Persepolis general manager Mohammed Rouyanian and newly-appointed coach Mustafa Denizli agreed on the move. Mahdavikia took the decision to leave Damash Gilan and play for Persepolis after some fans insulted him during the match against Naft Abadan football club last month. “Mahdavikia told me he will never return to Damash. We are ready to let him join Persepolis but the team has to let Hadi Norouzi join us in a swap deal,” Damash Gilan general manager Amir Abedini said. Mahdavikia made his Iran debut in 1996 and managed 13 goals from 111 games. He also represented Bundesliga clubs such as VfL Bochum, Hamburger SV and Eintracht Frankfurt. The player stayed eight years at Hamburg and racked up 208 Bundesliga appearances, bagging 26 goals during the process. During his playing days in Germany, Mahdavikia twice received an award for HSV Player of the year. He was also awarded the Asian Footballer of the Year in 2003. Mahdavikia played three years for Persepolis before moving to VfL Bochum in 1998. In mid-December, the Iranian footballer featured Hamburg SV All-Stars against Zidan & Ronaldo and Friends during "Match against Poverty" in Hamburg.