Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has been charged by the Football Association (FA) after his outburst at referee Paul Tierney following his side’s dramatic 4-3 win over Tottenham on Sunday.
Klopp sparked a row with Premier League refereeing chiefs after he suggested Tierney had a vendetta against Liverpool and accused him of saying something “not OK” when he booked him for his celebration.
Source: i2-prod.football
Klopp had run in front of fourth official John Brooks to celebrate Diogo Jota’s injury-time winner after previously being angered by a number of decisions — including Tierney’s failure to award Mohamed Salah a free-kick shortly before Richarlison made it 3-3.
Tierney came across to the touchline to book Klopp, who had pulled his hamstring in his dash to confront Brooks. The Liverpool manager admitted that was “fair punishment,” but also claimed what the referee said to him was “not OK.”.
Asked to expand, Klopp said: “I will not say anything about it. The refs don’t say what is said so I don’t say what is said. My celebration was unnecessary, which is fair, but what he said to me when he gave me the yellow card is not OK.
We have our history with Mr Tierney. I really don’t know what this man has with us. He always says there is nothing but that is not true. The way he looks at me.
It’s difficult to understand. Paul Tierney, in a season which was quite important, didn’t give Harry Kane a red card against us (in a 2-2 draw at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in December 2021).”.
Referees’ body the Professional Game Match Officials Board (PGMOL) later issued a statement defending Tierney’s behaviour after listening to audio footage of his exchange with Klopp around the booking.
A statement read: “PGMOL is aware of the comments made by Jurgen Klopp after his side’s fixture with Tottenham Hotspur. Match officials in the Premier League are recorded in all games via a communications system and having fully reviewed the audio of referee Paul Tierney from today’s fixture, we can confirm he acted in a professional manner throughout including when issuing the caution to the Liverpool manager so, therefore, we strongly refute any suggestion that Tierney’s actions were improper.”.
An FA spokesperson said: “Liverpool FC’s Jürgen Klopp has been charged following their Premier League fixture against Tottenham Hotspur FC on Sunday 30 April.
It is alleged that the manager’s comments regarding the match official during post-match media interviews constitutes improper conduct in that they imply bias, and/or question the integrity of the referee, and/or are personal/offensive, and/or bring the game into disrepute.” Klopp has until May 5 to provide a response.
This is not the first time Klopp has been charged by the FA for his comments about referees. In February 2019, he was fined £45,000 for questioning referee Kevin Friend’s integrity after a 1-1 draw with West Ham United.
He also received a £8,000 fine for running onto the pitch to celebrate Divock Origi’s late winner against Everton in December 2018.
Klopp’s latest charge comes at a crucial time for Liverpool, who are fighting for a top-four finish in the Premier League and have a Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain coming up next week.
The Reds are currently third in the table, four points behind leaders Manchester City with four games left.
Final Thoughts: Klopp Charged by FA Over Referee Outburst
Jurgen Klopp’s recent outburst at referee Paul Tierney has landed him in trouble again, with the Football Association (FA) charging the Liverpool manager for his comments after their dramatic 4-3 win over Tottenham.
Klopp had accused Tierney of having a vendetta against Liverpool and made claims about something “not OK” that the referee said to him during the match.
The PGMOL, the referees’ governing body, has defended Tierney’s behaviour and refuted any suggestion of improper conduct.
Klopp’s charge comes at a crucial time for Liverpool, who are fighting for a top-four finish in the Premier League and have a Champions League semi-final against Paris Saint-Germain coming up next week.
The manager’s outburst and subsequent charge could distract the team and negatively impact their performance in these crucial matches. Furthermore, Klopp’s repeated clashes with referees could harm his relationship with the officials, which could have implications for future matches.
It’s understandable that Klopp is passionate about his team and frustrated with some of the decisions made during the match. However, his outburst and accusations of bias could be seen as unprofessional and disrespectful to the referee and the officials’ governing body.
The FA’s charge of improper conduct and bringing the game into disrepute is a reminder that managers and players have a responsibility to maintain a level of professionalism and respect towards referees, even in high-pressure situations.
In conclusion, Klopp’s outburst and subsequent charge by the FA is a reminder that everyone involved in football, including managers and players, must uphold professional standards of behaviour and respect towards referees.
The charge could have implications for Liverpool’s crucial upcoming matches and could harm Klopp’s relationship with officials in the future.
