DEREK McINNES last night lit the touch paper on a potential Pittodrie powderkeg meeting between Aberdeen and Celtic tomorrow.

The passions that already surround this fixture have been given extra spice by Aleksander Tonev's ongoing battle to clear his name after being found guilty of racially abusing Dons' defender Shay Logan during the game between the clubs at Parkhead on September 13. The Bulgarian has lodged an appeal against the seven-game ban handed to him following an Independent Tribunal's hearing last week. Ronny Deila and Celtic skipper Scott Brown insist they do not believe Tonev is guilty.

However, Aberdeen manager McInnes does not believe Deila, Brown, nor anyone else is in any position to insist Tonev's innocence. He said: "Team-mates will always defend each other, but for Scott and his manager to say they know that he didn't say it is clearly wrong because they weren't in a position to know that. We are trying to draw a line under it, but while there is an appeal that can't be the case. We are eager to get it finalised and dealt with. We thought it had been dealt with, he was found guilty of an offence.

"We felt Shay was vindicated with that and we support Shay wholeheartedly. Until the verdict, we have kept a dignified silence as requested. That hasn't always been the case from Celtic."

Those comments would appear to extinguish any hope the fire already burning under tomorrow's game can be doused. Deila must now decide if the player should be exposed to the reception he is sure to get from the Aberdeen fans at Pittodrie.

Tonev is eligible to play as the remainder of his suspension has been put on hold until his appeal can be heard.

But with Kris Commons and James Forrest back in contention, and no fresh injury problems emerging from Thursday's draw in Giurgiu, Deila has plenty of other options available to him.

Asked if Tonev will be selected, the manager remained coy and would say only: "I haven't decided."

The manager does intend to sit down with Tonev before announcing his team for tomorrow, and he will reiterate that all the players continue to back him.

"I haven't spoken to the players about it, but we are going to support Aleks," he said. I've said many times that it is word against word."

Deila, who will be taking a team to Pittodrie for the first time, is confident the Tonev/Logan back story should not be an issue.

"I don't think there will be bad feeling," said the Norwegian. "There will be a lot of tension and passion, but I think it's going to be friendly and that's what I hope.

"They are a team who will challenge us in the league. That's why everything gets more passionate in the games between us."