Kieran Tierney suffers fresh injury blow as Scotland star limps out of Real Sociedad match

Former Celtic defender facing another spell on the sidelines as internationals loom

Scotland defender Kieran Tierney has been ruled out until the end of February after suffering a hamstring tear playing for Real Socieded. (Photo by ANDER GILLENEA/AFP via Getty Images)

Kieran Tierney is facing up to a month on the sidelines after picking up another injury playing for Real Sociedad.

The Scotland defender, who is on a season-long loan from Arsenal, was replaced after just 39 minutes of the Copa Del Rey match against Celta Vigo on Wednesday night, which Sociedad won 2-1.

The former Celtic left-back has endured numerous injuries throughout his career and has already missed two months of the La Liga campaign after tearing his hamstring at the start of October. Now, the luckless 26-year-old has suffered another “fibre break” in his hamstring that is likely to keep him out "for between three and a quarter weeks", according to his manager Imano Alguacil.

"We're going to wait for the relevant tests, but it's clear with Kieran that it's a rupture in the hamstring," the Sociedad boss said.

"It's a shame, because we have left back Aihen Munoz out too and it's important to double up in positions because of the amount of games we're going to have to play. But I've never made excuses and I'm not going to start now."

Scotland head coach Steve Clarke will be keeping a close eye on Tierney's fitness ahead of the upcoming internationals against the Netherlands and Northern Ireland on March 22 and 26 respectively.

Tierney is a key player for the national side and Clarke will be keen to see him back to full health in time for the double-header which kick starts preparations for Euro 2024 in Germany this summer.