Kieran Tierney returning to Celtic as a European Cup winner?
There is every chance of that happening now after Arsenal reached the semi-finals of the Champions League on Wednesday night, as they outclassed Real Madrid.
Despite being the holders, Madrid looked abject over both legs, as Arsenal cruised to a comfortable 5-1 aggregate win.
Celtic hero Tierney came off the bench for both legs and is now priming himself up for one of the biggest nights of his career.
Tierney won trophies galore at Celtic, but winning the European Cup is a different animal altogether, as PSG await Arsenal in the semi-final.
But despite Arsenal’s 2-1 second-leg win over Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu, and the joys that came with it, the one disappointment was the yellow card and now suspension for the first-leg against PSG, for key midfielder Thomas Partey.
Arsenal fans call for Kieran Tierney to start against PSG in Champions League semi-final after Thomas Partey’s suspension
Partey will now miss the first-leg – at the Emirates – against PSG, as Mikel Arteta will have to shuffle his XI ahead of that huge game.
Arsenal fans would like to see rising teenage youngster Myles Lewis-Skelly push into midfield, and then for Tierney to come in at left-back.
Tierney has started one European game this term – away at PSV during the second leg of the last 16 – and his next possible start could be memorable.
@mutumaMM wants a Tierney start: ‘I’d play Kieran Tierney to start the match.’
@jobhihoe also went down that road: ‘How can people have such short memories? We literally have Tierney on the bench who is arguably our best LB atm. He owns the left flank and has been terrific whenever he got minutes this season For midfield transitions – MLS Defensive work – Tierney Ball carrying – Cala/Timber’.
@AFC_Nadeem44 agreed: ‘What I like about that idea is that we get to stretch our left flank and send Martinelli/Trossard inside. We saw what our wingers can do in central areas yesterday. Plus, Tierney’s crosses have been perfection recently’.
@GoonerTalk07 contiued that theme: ‘Play Tierney LB instead’.
@AFCBeef knows what the better option is: ‘With Partey banned for the 1st leg against PSG, we either play White at right back and Timber at left back, with MLS in midfield. Or Tierney at left back. The latter being the better option, as White has only just come back from injury.’
Another shout for Tierney to start vs PSG, as @surman_n add: ‘No partey for 1st leg. Put MLS in the middle for me. Tierney/Cala on the left.’
@iamNOTthepatoo added: ‘Tierney starting LB MLS replaces Partey’.
And the calls continued, as @Dheomaejor1 added: ‘Who do we start in place of Thomas Partey in midfield vs PSG? Zinchenko? I’d say Miles Lewis Skelly and Rice play with Odegaard in midfield while we use Calafiori or Tierney as the LB?’
@AFCCharlie1995 also stated: ‘Semi final first leg with Partey suspended, has to be Rice as the 6 and Skelly as the 8. Put timber or tierney left back with white or timber right back’.
They keep coming, as @Bizzle025 added: ‘Hopefully we play Tierney at LB and Skellz in the midfield against PSG’.
Celtic hero Tierney rewarded as Arsenal beat Real Madrid in the Champions League
Tierney has had injury issues over the years and it has disrupted his progress at Arsenal, after joining the London club from Celtic in 2019.
But all that hard work in the treatment room and trying to get himself back on the pitch has now been rewarded with minutes off the bench against Real Madrid.
The Scotland star will forever be a Celtic legend, but Tierney is appreciated by many at Arsenal because he wears his heart on his sleeve for the club.
And now, everyone in Celtic colours will have their eyes on that Arsenal-PSG semi-final to see what role Tierney can play in doing the unthinkable in his career.
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