Celtic know too well the pain and difficulty of facing Paris Saint-Germain over the years, but they are a different animal now.
That’s proven by PSG’s Champions League performances this term, including their run to the semi-finals, as they now have one foot in the final after Tuesday night’s showing against Arsenal, with a certain Kieran Tierney watching on.
It needs to be remembered that Luis Enrique’s side only finished one point above Celtic during the revamped Champions League league phase and were at risk of getting eliminated.
But it’s not about how you start, but finish, as PSG beat Arsenal 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final tie.
After the French champions knocked out Liverpool and Aston Villa, as well as beating Manchester City during the league phase, they are now looking to pile more misery on another English side.
For the most part, PSG have outclassed their opponents, including Arsenal, but their fans were unhappy with Mikel Arteta’s call on Tierney.
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Arsenal fans unhappy with Kieran Tierney call as Celtic hero watches Champions League defeat to PSG
Thomas Partey is a key midfielder for Arsenal, but he was suspended for the first leg, and his absence was felt against PSG.
Given the London club’s lack of bite and control in the middle of the park, the supporters on social media were crying out for Tierney to come onto the pitch, so they could push rising youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly into midfield.
Instead, Arteta made a forced change, and his first – because of Jurrien Timber’s injury – in the 83rd minute when he brought on Ben White, before Ethan Nwaneri came into the fold in the 91st minute.
Tierney remained unused, and certain sections of the Arsenal fans weren’t happy.
This fan wasn’t happy, as @leefussball_V3 stated: ‘Another knockout game where arteta fumbled the squad selection because he never thinks outside the box. Merino shouldve stayed cf and go MLS left 8, tierney LB.’
@EduardoHagn wanted Tierney on: ‘Tierney has to be subbed on. Merino up front. Lewis-Skelly in midfield.’
@Zamolee_93 was another player who wanted the Celtic hero on: ‘We miss partey….. Timber should play partey row then sub Merino for Tierney’.
@PeeaaaK. continued that theme: ‘Martinelli off Trossard goes LW, Tierny on goes LB Skelly goes Midfield and Merino goes striker’.
@Netoovic thinks Tierney would have helped a lot: ‘He is not wrong. Tierney would have done ok on that left and Myles go mid. We needed so much running power and the few times Rice did we got so open to scoring’.
@U_faruqofficial also added: ‘Tierney in, Skelly to midfield, Merino back to the front while Trossard out might have worked yesterday too sha. We only needed someone to push the ball from midfield.’
Another Tierney shout, as @ayaj_ states: ‘Partey will use one turn to lose 2 players and make the difficult things look easy but our fans don’t rate him. In hindsight, we should have played Tierney at LB and MLS in midfield.’
@Amo_Miriti blames Arteta over Tierney: ‘Arteta should share the blame for not being bold enough to trust Lewi-Skelly at 6 and Tierney or Zinchenko at LB’
@Matiru__ with added to the criticism: ‘Arteta should’ve put MLS in midfield and Tierney at leftback, he hates using his brain’.
@d_best4ever also made a similar point: ‘Arteta is just too predictable. Virtually everyone knows that’ll be our lineup. Why don’t you bring on zinchenko in the midfield or let Tierney play Lb and skelly in the midfield. What the PSG game needed was MERINO to lead the line.’
Will Celtic fans see Tierney in action for Arsenal?
The one issue with Tierney over the years has been his injury problems and constant visits to the treatment room.
But, since December, he has been absolutely fine, ready to play and with no injury concerns, which is a big plus for Celtic before he re-joins in the summer.
With all eyes on Arsenal’s second leg clash in Paris next Wednesday night, it wouldn’t be a surprise if wholesale changes are made for their home clash against Bournemouth on Saturday evening in the Premier League.
That opens the door for Tierney to start, who has hardly been used in recent months despite being available for all of that period.
| Tierney’s games this season | Minutes |
| 17 | 370 |
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