Arsenal full-back Kieran Tierney says Kylian Mbappe is the toughest opponent he has faced in his career so far, for club or country.
The 22-year-old has turned out in the Champions League for Celtic, the Premier League for Arsenal and internationally for Scotland in his short career so far.
It was in the Champions League with the Bhoys in 2017 that Tierney faced Paris Saint-Germain and their deadly front three of Mbappe, Neymar and Edison Cavani.
Celtic were walloped 5-0 at home and then 7-1 in Paris with Mbappe scoring in both matches and it was the young Frenchman that really caught Tierney’s eye, ahead of his Brazilian and Uruguayan team-mate’s.
Asked in a Reddit AMA who his toughest opponent ever has been, Tierney said: ‘Mbappe. I think I’ve said that a few times now though! He was the quickest and sharpest that I’ve come up against.’
Tierney is currently recovering from a dislocated shoulder that he suffered in December in a Premier League win over West Ham.
The young defender has suffered multiple injuries in recent years, having arrived at Arsenal from Celtic last summer with a groin problem,
The Scot was asked how he deals with the recovery process, replying: ‘I just made sure I was in lots of contact with the people around me and the people closest to me.
‘I just always spoke to people and tried to keep my spirits high. But the physios at the club helped me so much as well. I’ve not got one complaint.’
MORE: Kieran Tierney hails ‘mind-blowing’ Gabriel Martinelli as the player who has shocked him at Arsenal
MORE: Willian ‘free to negotiate’ with Arsenal and Tottenham as Chelsea contract talks stall
Follow Metro Sport across our social channels, on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
For more stories like this, check our sport page.
