FC Porto clash is last chance for HSV's Mahdavikia: German daily

IRNA - The Hamburger Morgenpost newspaper said Tuesday evening's European Champions League encounter with Group G opponents FC Porto is Mehdi Mahdavikia's last chance to return to Hamburg's starting line-up and have any realistic prospects to renew his contract at the end of this Bundesliga season.

"The game in Porto is extremely important for the team and of course also for me. We have to do our utmost to get out of this bad phase," said Mahdavikia who lost the starting job in the wake of his dismal play in his squad's shocking first-round German elimination cup loss against an amateur club.

The 29-year-old Iranian international whose three-game Bundesliga ban will expire next week, has been fighting to have his contract extended beyond this season.

Mahdavikia who joined HSV in 2001 from VfL Bochum, is reportedly earning 2.3 million euros a year.

German football experts have expressed serious doubts whether Hamburg will be willing to sign a new deal with Mahdavikia, given his high salary and HSV's horrendous debts estimated at around 95 million euros.

A self-proclaimed Bundesliga championship contender, HSV is currently ranked 17th in the 18-team German first football division.