Leave poor Karimi alone!

The pressure to “succeed” must be enormous on poor Ali Karimi.

The guy has an active contract with one of the biggest club’s in Europe, he is getting regular playing time, his coach says he is happy with his performance, and the club says they intend to extend his contract.

Yet every time he does not start, substituted, fails to score a goal, or even rated low by Kicker magazine the headlines in Iran read as if the man has just miserably failed!

In a team full of international stars, Ali Karimi is doing well to hold his own. I wish Iranian tabloids stopped scrutinizing his every move in such schoolboy manner.