Join thousands of fans who have signed up to our Celtic newsletter. Subscribe Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice Invalid Email

ATLETICO MADRID president Miguel Angel Gil Marin has told Aberdeen they can follow in their footsteps by winning the title against the odds.

The Dons are two points behind Celtic in the Premiership and could go top on Thursday if they beat St Johnstone and the Hoops fail to win at Firhill. No club outside of the Old Firm has won the title in Scotland since 1985, when Alex Ferguson’s Aberdeen celebrated their second league success in a row.

Aberdeen legend Neale Cooper: Dons CAN win title and end 30 year wait for glory

Spanish football has been similarly dominated by Real Madrid and Barcelona over the years. Real and Barca have won every La Liga since Valencia clinched it in 2004... until Atletico pipped the big two to the main prize last season.

And the Atletico president, speaking at the Dubai International Sports Conference organised by Globe Soccer, believes the Dons can also smash the mould in Scotland like his club have in Spain.

(Image: Reuters)

Marin said: “Of course it is possible for Aberdeen to win the league, just like it was possible for Atletico to win it in Spain.

“What I would tell Aberdeen is that to make it possible you have to keep working very, very hard.

“Good luck to Aberdeen in Scotland – we know them because we played them in European football a few years ago.

“Our objective was to win the league title because we knew it meant we would be known across the globe as the club who beat Barcelona and Real Madrid.

“We showed it is possible to defy the odds and achieve greatness and I hope Aberdeen manage to do it too.”

Try Our Sport Quiz