KIERAN TIERNEY heard his knee ‘pop’ — and feared his Euros dream was over.
The Arsenal and Scotland star crashed to the ground in agony after a collision with Liverpool midfielder James Milner in a 3-0 Premier League home defeat on April 3.
Feeling sharp pain from his left knee, Tierney became deeply concerned he could be destined for the operating theatre.
He said: “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.”
Mercifully, £25million Scotland key man Tierney will board a plane on Thursday with the rest of a 26-man squad bound for a Spanish training camp to prepare for friendlies against Holland and Luxembourg.
Then, it will be the huge Group D fixtures against the Czech Republic, England and Croatia.
Tierney, 24 on Saturday week, added: “The injury happened at a time I was feeling great. I’d just got back from the Scotland camp where I’d done well.
“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.
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“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.”
Arsenal missed out on the Europa League final, losing in the semis to Villarreal.
But Tierney is now rested for a big summer. He added: “I feel strong and I’m massively excited about the Euros.
“It will be brilliant to be reunited with the squad again and we’ll be giving it everything we’ve got over the next month.”
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Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
