Nothing is impossible - was the answer Slobodan Rubežić when asked by Scottish journalists if Aberdeen can play against Celtic and continue the fight for the title.
A few days later, the Dons survived the most difficult visit in the Scottish Premier League, but also one of the most difficult in Europe, with the powerful Celts they played 2:2, and after that they continued with great games, which another giant from Glasgow could not stop.
The Montenegrin footballer and Aberdeen defeated Rangers (2:1) on Wednesday and, together with Celtic (they have 28 points each), sensationally hold the top of the Premiership.
What is more than sensational is that someone finally managed to "squeeze" between the greats from the legendary Old Firm derby, that the club from "Pitodrija" in the past 10 rounds recorded nine victories and the aforementioned draw at "Celtic Park". He won a point even though Celtic took an early 2:0 lead...
“The financial gap between Celtic, Rangers and the rest of Scotland will probably never close. And yet there is hope", "Atletik" described Aberdeen's season.
Once Fergie and McLeish, now Telin and Rubežić
Aberdeen is special on the Island in many ways - from being a big sir club Alex Ferguson, that the last club to be Scottish champions before the unprecedented dominance of Celtic and Rangers (1985), the last to defeat Real Madrid in the European final (Cup Winners' Cup 1993)...
At the end of this season, the port on the North Sea will mark 40 years since Aberdeen's last title, and it seems that the "reds" will be dreaming of a new cup right up to the end...
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Aberdeen played 15 games in the championship and the League Cup this season, while they drew 2:2 against Celtic in Glasgow.
Everyone is responsible for the rise of Aberdeen, from the players, to the leading people, to the coaching staff, but one man stands out in particular - Jimi Telin, a Swedish expert who in his homeland managed only Elfsborg among the more famous clubs, but who works wonders in Scotland.
Forty years ago, Ferguson had legends in defense Aleks Mekliš (he managed Rangers, the younger will remember him as the manager of Aston Villa and Birmingham, and the coach of Scotland) and Willie Miller, and the defense with our Rubežić at the helm is a special strength of Telin as well.
Rubežić and his colleague at the stopwatch position Gavin Moles they are still far from the aforementioned legends, but this season they look perfect, and they also have great support from the tireless midfield, as pressing is the trademark of the Swedish coach.
Although the Dons were without their best scorer during the summer Bojan Miovski (strengthened Girona), the goals are coming thanks to the Senegalese Papeu Gejeu, and after his injury and over Nikija Delvina, the hero of the victory over Rangers.
"Montenegro" Old Firm
What kind of season Rubežić is playing in the Aberdeen jersey is described in a beautiful way by the statistics, so our stopper has an average rating of more than seven on specialized websites - Soccer score in 7,2, has a Flashscore of 7,4.
What is particularly impressive is that he got the best grades in the matches with the giants from Glasgow - Celtic (Sofascore 7,7 and Flashscore 7,4) and Rangers (7,5 and 7,7).
Whether his great games, as well as the whole of Aberdeen, will eventually be enough for a miracle is difficult to predict, it is not even realistic to expect, but as already written by "Atletik", the huge differences between the teams from Glasgow and the others will probably never disappear. There is hope, though - thanks to Aberdeen.
After all, even today the Dons live as they did a little more than four decades ago, when, after the defeat in the Cup Winners' Cup final, they were described by the legend of Real Madrid, then the coach of the "royal club". Alfredo di Stefano:
- Aberdeen has what money can't buy - soul, team spirit and family tradition.
Bonus video:
