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Arsenal star Tierney feared knee 'pop' had ended Euro 2020 dream with Scotland
The highly-rated defender picked up an injury during the Premier League meeting with Liverpool, but has shaken off that issue
Kieran Tierney admits fearing the worst after hearing his knee "pop" in the Premier League meeting with Liverpool on April 3, with the Scotland international questioning whether his European Championship dream had been dashed.
The left-back was forced out of the 3-0 defeat for the Gunners early in the second-half, and initial reports suggested that his season could be over.
He was, however, to spend just a month on the sidelines, returning for five appearances at the end of the 2020-21 campaign and is now ready to lead his country into a first major international tournament since 1998.
What has been said?
Tierney told The Sun: "I heard the pop from my knee and it immediately went through my mind ‘Is this bad? Is this my season done?’
"I was worried about it being long term. Arsenal were on course for a European final and I didn’t want to miss the ties we had coming up or the end to the season. Then there was Scotland and the Euros. There was everything to play for."
The bigger picture
Tierney has been included in Scotland's 26-man squad for the rescheduled Euros, with the Czech Republic, Croatia and old adversaries England set to be faced in Group D.
There appears to be nothing preventing the 23-year-old from figuring prominently in those fixtures, with his knock shaken off in time to recover full fitness and focus.
"The injury happened at a time I was feeling great. I’d just got back from the Scotland camp where I’d done well," Tierney, who has just completed his second season at Emirates Stadium, said.
"I had to wait three or four days before I got the news from the Arsenal physio Jordan Reece it was a grade two ligament problem and I’d be six weeks out. He told me: ‘You’ll be fine for the Euros. You don’t need to worry about that’.
"It was still disappointing to be out. but it was also relief it wasn’t for far longer.
"Thankfully, surgery wasn’t needed. I actually got back playing within four and a half weeks which was crazy, and now I’m feeling great again and ready for the Euros."
Scotland, who have friendly fixtures against the Netherlands and Luxembourg, are due to open their Euro 2020 campaign against the Czech Republic on June 14.
