Deila focused on Dons test

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Ronny Deila believes his Celtic squad is getting used to high demands as he prepares for the Premiership trip to Aberdeen on Sunday.

The Scottish champions arrived back in Glasgow on Friday afternoon following their 1-1 Europa League draw with Astra Giurgiu in Romania the previous night and immediately turned their attention to Pittodrie.

A lot of attention is on the Hoops' race row winger Aleksandar Tonev.

The 24-year-old Bulgarian, on loan from Aston Villa, was suspended by the Scottish FA for seven matches for using "offensive, insulting and abusive language of a racist nature" towards Dons defender Shay Logan when the two teams met at Celtic Park in September.

Tonev missed last week's home win over Inverness and was an unused substitute against Astra but Celtic have appealed the ban and he is free to play although Deila refused to confirm if he will be in the squad.

While the issue is set to overshadow the game, the Celtic boss is focusing on getting the three points that could take them top of the league and he believes his squad are getting better at coping with the pressure.

"It is going to be a very difficult match but we are starting to get used to it now," said the Norwegian.

"That's why I say that it is very good for us to be playing in Europe, we get those kind of good games and Aberdeen is going to be like that, it is a very tough game.

"It will be a good atmosphere and the fixture has been challenging for Celtic before.

"So we are looking forward to the game. We look physically and mentally strong now.

"It is going in the right way. We have a team who is working together.

"The togetherness is much better than it has been and so it is going to be hard to play against us."

Celtic have eight points from four Europa League games and will qualify for the last-32 if they beat already-qualified Salzburg at Celtic Park later in the month, before they finish their Group D campaign away to Croatian side Dinamo Zagreb in December.

Deila is confident that the Parkhead club will be playing European football after Christmas.

"In our four games we have deserved eight points," said the former Stromsgodset boss.

"We were unlucky against Astra but in the games before I think we have been a little

bit lucky.

"So eight points is good and we have a big chance to qualify."