Kieran Tierney during his loan spell at Real Sociedad.Photo: Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images" src="https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/WvTrpiM27hYezW3w0F0XDA-/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU3Ng-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/theguardian_763/c8d9893bd2b478ec8b44 961a5966f967″ data-src= "https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/WvTrpiM27hYezW3w0F0XDA-/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTk2MDtoPTU3Ng-/https://media.zenfs.com/en/theguardian_763/c8d9893bd2b478ec8b44961a 5966f967″/>
"Look, when I say this, I see my friends saying, 'You've changed, man.'" Kieran Tierney starts laughing. He knows it, but he can't do anything about it and if they were where he is, they wouldn't either, he's sure. The defender talks txuleton, the Basque T-bone. "I'm not really into taking photos of food, but every time I take one I do, it's in a different league. And there's a dish that consists of rice and mussels," he says, and then he looks at himself and bursts out laughing, imagining his friends in Scotland shaking their heads. "Rice with mussels?! You never got that growing up. But it tastes incredible, man."
So things are going well in Spain? "I love every part of it," says Tierney. Well, maybe not share: there have been two hamstring tears, first against Athletic Club at the end of September and then against Celta Vigo at the end of January, the latter forcing him to abandon the Champions League trip to play Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday evening. But every other part of the Arsenal full-back's move to Real Sociedad was good and while this hurts, even injury can have positives. At least that's how he approached the initial setback: "I used the time to learn the game plan from the inside out and learn more of the language," he says.
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The city's food is just one of "San Sebastián's many bonuses," says Tierney. "The place is beautiful: the mountains, the landscape, the sea. The people are the friendliest people, so helpful." And the football isn't bad either. He has played sixteen games and although LaReal having dropped to seventh place, they won their Champions League group without a minute behind, despite this being their first appearance in ten years. A Copa del Rey semi-final is also scheduled. The style also fits, back to what he knows.
"We talked about the style of play," Tierney recalls. "That was the most important thing for me because at Arsenal it was something different. I wanted to know how they see their left backs. And when they told me, I was very happy.
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"One of the great things about Arsenal is that their left-back is one of the most central players; [Oleksandr] Zinchenko is one of their biggest creators, more of a number 6. When that was first introduced it was strange to me. I had never played as a centre-mid, even as a child. I always sat high and wide, what you would call the more normal left back position that I had known all my life.
"That's what I tried to learn [new role] at Arsenal. You see how well it works and it's hard to question: I did my best, learned, tried to do it in training and competitions. Maybe one day I can be very comfortable in that position. I got to practice with one of the best in the world, Zinchenko. It's so natural for him, he makes it look so easy. But for me now it's probably more natural to go up and down the wings.
"When I first came, the coaches showed me videos of left-back moves from last season. Aihen Munoz [the other left-back] was amazing, one of the ones that helped the most. During training he said: 'You have to do this, do that, pass here.' Initially you ask about the rules: 'How many touches, how many passes?' But now it's: 'That's that exercise, that's this exercise.' I ask fewer questions. You can still play well, but it will take some time to adapt. For others it was second nature."
There's a reason for that. Eighteen youth players played for the first team this season; 13 come from Gipuzkoa, the province of which San Sebastián is the capital. It is the smallest in Spain and is also home to Mikel Arteta, Unai Emery, Xabi Alonso, Andoni Iraola, Julen Lopetegui and Real Sociedad coach Imanol Alguacil. "Honestly, it's just insane," Tierney says. "Look at the managers from the Basque Country, the players. It's quite something to do, to be honest. It must be the culture, how they were raised, how they think about football.
"These guys play for Celtic just like me. When you grow up, the club is all you know and all you want. When I was at Celtic there were maybe four or five in the academy first team. Here it's about 13, 14. Next level. The team is very close. I noticed that immediately. You could tell they had been playing together for years, the manager has been here for years. It doesn't matter if you play on the bench, not in the squad, you all want the same thing. That's part of the success: it's a family."
A talented one too. "I went up against Take Kubo in the first few weeks of training, so it struck me to see how sharp he is. You have world class players like [Martín] Zubimendi, [Mikel] Merino, Brais [Méndez]. It's not that people think they're no good; it's just difficult to know that if you only watch the Premier League every week. They are world class, and it is incredible that so many of them come from the academy."
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"I think most will look at this match and say PSG are favourites," says Tierney, which doesn't mean he agrees. "It is perhaps the toughest draw. They have been in this league for years, they have the experience, world-class players."
He knows: he has experienced them before. In 2017 Celtic played PSG twice and lost 5-0 and 7-1, thanks for the reminder. "Um... it was hard," Tierney says. "I was against it [Kylian] Mbappe; and since then he has scored 200 goals? It was him, Neymar, [Edinson] Cavani."
There's a pause, a grin. "So that was a pretty good front three anyway. And the year before that we got Barcelona. At Celtic we were not lucky with the draw. But they are all experiences, it contributes to who you are. I was 19, 20 against PSG; it can happen. You go through big defeats and that helps you in the long run."
Now 26, he has been mentored along the way by Brendan Rodgers and Emery, men who have not always had the credit they deserve. "Brendan was huge for me," Tierney says. "Ask anyone at Celtic, he made winning a treble normal, that's the craziest thing. He transformed the club and my career. And I loved working with Unai Emery. Unfortunately, we players never achieved the results he deserved. I don't think it's his fault. He worked so hard, every day he gave us everything, and in the end we never got the results."
Why not? "If I knew that, I would have a job higher up in football. Often things in football don't go according to plan. It was sad, but you see what he did later in Spain and now at Aston Villa."
Arsenal are great. They helped me. Even this season, when I let myself come here and try this, I experience it
And so to PSG, first away and in two weeks at the Reale Arena. "I find it hard to watch games when you're injured," Tierney said. "I enjoy supporting the team on the field, but on television you just think: 'I wish I was there with the boys.' We know it will be very, very tough, but these are the games you want. To be here, to be at the top of the group, is an incredible achievement, an amazing story. We only conceded two goals, we deservedly won the group. We went to San Siro and handled it so well. When you get a tie like that, you're not afraid of it; you enjoy it, embrace it."
Just like he did. "I love it here, I have been so lucky." Flights are not so easy - although he has checked and a route between Edinburgh and Biarritz will open in April - but his family is away. And what do they say? Can you stay?, probably. He smiles. "'How long does the loan last?!' Yes."
Actually, that's a good question. What happens when this season ends? "It's hard to say," Tierney replies. "But I love it here. "I've also enjoyed my time at Arsenal and I still have two years left on my contract, so when I'm back there..."
Win win? "One hundred percent. Arsenal are great. They have helped me in the last four years. Even this season, when I come here and try this, experience it. They had [Jakub] Kiwior's injury and it would have been easy to say, 'No, we're going to end it.' But they were open, honest and said, 'Just keep going for a year.' I am very grateful. I don't know what's going to happen, but I think it's great, I've adapted well. I'm older now, so it was ten times easier than leaving home for London. There is still time to go, so I hope I can play well and return the confidence that everyone here has shown in me."
