Jurgen Klopp has been handed a two-match touchline ban and fined £75,000 by the FA following comments he made after Liverpool’s win over Tottenham last month.
The German took issue with referee Paul Tierney, whom he claimed had an issue with him. Klopp will only be banned for one match with the second suspended and will only be served should he commit a further breach before the end of next season.
Liverpool saw off Tottenham 4-3 at Anfield with Diogo Jota bagging a stoppage time winner in front of the Kop. Klopp, who had been left fuming by the refusal to give Mohamed Salah a foul before Tottenham’s equaliser, went up to the fourth official and celebrated in front of his face.
The individual, John Brooks, advised Tierney to brandish a yellow card, with the referee also consulting VAR before booking the Liverpool boss. After full-time Klopp was seen berating Tierney and in his post-match press conference suggested that the official had a personal issue with him.
Audio has since been released of Tierney’s dialogue with Klopp, in which he said: “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.”
The PGMOL confirmed, in the aftermath of the incident that, despite Klopp’s accusations, Tierney acted professionally throughout.
Klopp went on to commit something of a u-turn regarding his issue with Tierney as he said, just days later: “I understand I opened the box. The rest was how I felt in that moment about Paul Tierney reffing our games. I am very sure he is not doing it intentionally but we have a history and I cannot deny that.
“Of course things didn’t happen intentionally but they are still there and it’s a feeling. I know the refs were really angry about what I said and now go for it. I heard I was lying. I did a lot of things that day but I didn’t lie.”
