Jurgen Klopp is BANNED after accusing referee Paul Tierney of bias
REVEALED: FA release recorded transcript of Jurgen Klopp’s spat with referee Paul Tierney – and what the Liverpool boss said was ‘WRONG’ for an official to say – as he is handed a one-match ban
- Klopp will serve a one-match touchline ban for his comments about Paul Tierney
- A second match has been suspended while the Liverpool boss has been fined
- The FA has released a transcript of Klopp’s touchline exchange with Tierney
The Football Association has published a transcript of a conversation between Jurgen Klopp and referee Paul Tierney, which led to the Liverpool boss receiving a touchline ban.
Klopp will serve a one match ban after accusing referee Paul Tierney of bias following Liverpool’s 4-3 win over Tottenham last month.
The second match of the ban is suspended until the end of the 2023/24 season on the condition that he does not commit any further breaches in the meantime.
Klopp has also been fined £75,000.
‘Jurgen Klopp admitted that his comments regarding the match referee during post-match media interviews constitute improper conduct as they imply bias, question the integrity of the referee, are personal, offensive, and bring the game into disrepute,’ an FA statement read.
Jurgen Klopp has been handed a touchline ban for his comments about referee Paul Tierney
Klopp had launched an astonishing attack on Tierney following his side’s win over Tottenham on April 30.
Diogo Jota ‘s stoppage-time strike secured the three points for the Reds, with Klopp sprinting over to confront fourth official John Brooks and cheer in his face before limping back to his technical area after pulling a hamstring.
Tierney then booked the Liverpool boss, who had been furious with the decision to award Tottenham a free-kick which led to Richarlison’s equalising goal.
Klopp said on Sky Sports after the game: ‘What he (Tierney) said to me then when he gave me the yellow card… ‘That’s not possible. But it’s not OK as well.’
The FA have released a transcript of the discussion between Tierney and Klopp.
The submission read ‘Mr Brooks contacted Mr Tierney and said “Jurgen Klopp has just run and celebrated in my face. I think it’s a yellow card mate, minimum.”
‘It is clear that Mr Brooks considered Mr Klopp’s conduct to be misplaced celebration rather than an aggressive or threatening move.
‘Mr Tierney responded, saying that he had not seen what happened and needed advice whether the sanction should be a yellow or red card.
Klopp had claimed what Tierney had said to him before his yellow card was ‘not okay’
‘The Video Assistant Referee reviewed the video footage and advised “Confirming yellow card. Confirming yellow card Jurgen Klopp.”
‘Armed with this confirmation Mr Tierney went to Mr Klopp and showed him a yellow card, saying “Right…I have to show you yellow…it could be red, but I am going to show you yellow. He said yellow. We will give you the benefit of the doubt, don’t do anything more….”
‘Mr Klopp’s frustrated reaction can be clearly seen in the video footage.’
The FA said Klopp’s conduct and celebration did not give rise to any charge, with the charge instead based on the Liverpool manager’s post-match comments.
The comments included the suggestion Tierney had a ‘personal antipathy towards Liverpool.’
‘We’ve had our story, history with Mr Tierney,’ Klopp said post-match.
‘I really don’t know what this man has with us. He will always say there’s nothing but it’s not true. It cannot be, I don’t understand that. It cannot be. I’m really not sure if it’s me, how he looks at me. I don’t understand it.
‘I really have no problem with any people, not with him as well. But I say again. He was reffing at Tottenham when Harry Kane didn’t get a red card. And Harry Kane, I love this player, what a player, crazy, I don’t want him to get a red card – but it was a red card in that game.
The FA released a transcript of the discussion between Klopp and Tierney during the match
‘And it was Mr Tierney and nobody asked him about it because they don’t have to clarify situations. So it’s really tricky and it’s difficult to understand and my celebration towards the fourth official I didn’t say any bad words.
‘It was unnecessary and I got punished for that immediately. I pulled my hamstring or adductor or whatever so fine. That’s fair.’
Klopp’s comments led to referees’ governing body PGMOL issuing a statement which accused the Liverpool boss of lying.
Both Liverpool and Klopp submitted letters in response to the FA charge, with the German admitting his yellow card had been justified and apologised for ‘some of the tone and content’ of his post-match comments.
‘Although it was not my intention I accept now it appears that I was questioning Mr Tierney’s integrity. I take ownership of this,’ Klopp wrote. ‘On reflection, the words I used were inappropriate. Both of these incidents were driven by emotion.
‘I was overly emotional at some of the decisions made, which then led to frustration and a feeling of unfairness. I carried that emotion into the mandated and time sensitive post-match press commitments.’
Klopp admitted in a letter that he did not believe Tierney was biased against Liverpool
Klopp added: ‘For the avoidance of doubt, I was trying to express how I felt whilst dealing with the frustration I was feeling around a number of decisions made during the game. It was about feelings and emotions.
‘To be absolutely clear, I know that Mr. Tierney, along with all other officials, do their work without any pre-conceived bias or prejudice. Although not an excuse, I believe we have made up a high percentage of Mr Tierney’s matches this season? Something in the region of 20% of the matches he has officiated have involved my team.
‘I do not offer this as a defence, rather it is an observation and could be a reason for both the build-up of frustration governed by an inadvertent accumulation of incidents over an extended period.’
The Regulatory Commission had noted Klopp’s letter and apology at his next press conference, but highlighted his poor disciplinary record having been charged on three occasions in the past five years.
Klopp had been banned for one game earlier in the season for his conduct during Liverpool’s 1-0 victory over Manchester City at Anfield. He was also fined £30,000 and warned about his future conduct.
The Commission ruled latest charge warranted a sanction to reflect the ‘seriousness of the breach’ and serve as a ‘warning to others in Klopp’s position.’
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