Nothing against Ali Daei, says Mahdavikia

There is no great divide between returning Iranian star Mehdi Mahdavikia and hisformer Team Melli colleague Ali Daei.

Mahdavikia was forced to make this clarification after rumours started to fester that the former Hamburg and Eintracht Frankfurt player refused to return to his old club Persepolis because of Daei.

The former AFC Player of the Year has joined upstart club Steel Azin to mark his return to Iranian football after 11 years in Europe. 

“Yes, I did not go back to Persepolis but it has nothing to do with Ali Daei,” Mahdavikia told journalists on his arrival back in Iran.

“He is my good friend and we were teammates in Team Melli for a long time. He was also my coach.”

Steel Azin are fifth in the Iran Pro League with 36 points from 24 matches and, with 10 matches left, still have a strong chance of qualifying for next season’s AFC Champions League.

Daei, who coached Mahdavikia in the Iran national team, also said there were no issues between the two players.

“I wish him all the success,” Daei was quoted as saying. “He has done a lot for Iranian football and was one of the greatest footballers from our country to play in Europe.”

Mahdavikia said it was the right time to leave Eintracht, whose coach Michael Skibbe left him out of the first-team line-up.

“My priority was to come back to my family in Iran because we have been apart for a long time,” he said.

“Football wise, my coach in Eintracht Frankfurt kept me on the bench for no reason. I talked to him and he did not have faith in me.

“It was as easy as this. I believe coming back to your own country has been a trend for foreign-based [Asian] players recently and I am happy to be here again.”