Jürgen Klopp has admitted the referee Paul Tierney does not have an agenda against Liverpool and that he regrets detracting from the thrilling win against Tottenham on Sunday with his touchline conduct.
The Football Association has charged the Liverpool manager with improper conduct for questioning Tierney’s integrity following the 4-3 victory at Anfield. Klopp also alleged the referee had spoken in an inappropriate manner when showing him a yellow card for confronting the fourth official, John Brooks.
The Professional Game Match Officials Limited rejected Klopp’s claims on Sunday, insisting a recording of the exchange proves Tierney behaved in a “professional manner”. The FA charge alleges that Klopp’s comments “imply bias, and/or question the integrity of the referee, and/or are personal/offensive, and/or bring the game into disrepute”. Klopp could face an increased punishment, having been warned over his touchline behaviour previously, and has until Friday to respond to the charge.
Ironically, and contrary to Klopp’s post-match claims, the Liverpool manager disclosed on Tuesday that Tierney had been talked out of issuing a red card to Klopp for running up to Brooks, sustaining a grade-two hamstring tear in the process, by the fourth official.
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“The whole situation shouldn’t have happened,” Klopp said. “I didn’t say anything wrong [to Brooks]. I was shouting: ‘Without you, without you’. It didn’t make a lot of sense but that was all.
“Paul Tierney came over to me and I didn’t expect at all a red card because I didn’t feel it was right. I expected a yellow card and he said to me: ‘For me it’s a red card but because of him’ – that’s what I understood because it was loud in the stadium – ‘it’s yellow.’ Showed me a yellow and smiled to my face. That’s it. The things which were made of what Paul Tierney said to me, I didn’t say. I said: ‘What he said to me was not OK’, and I thought it was not OK because it was not a red card in my view.
“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.”
Klopp admits he is disappointed at detracting from Liverpool’s win with his reaction to Diogo Jota’s 94th‑minute winner. “We won a football game in a very spectacular manner and the only headlines are the ones I created and I really regret that. It is absolutely not necessary and not how it should be. I probably have to expect a punishment.”
Despite the regret and retracting his allegation against Tierney, Klopp does not believe he crossed a line when confronting Brooks, although he admits he would get in contact with the fourth official if necessary.
“It was not cool but I just celebrated in his direction,” Klopp said. “I got a yellow card for it but do you think it was bad enough, honestly, for me to give an apology? Was I that close? I said it was my fault but I didn’t think it was that bad, but it’s how we all know, things that don’t look that bad in your own mind are sometimes different to what the outside world sees.
“If it looked bad, you’re the first one who told me that and everyone has spoken to me about it. You’re the first to ask me that but I will consider [getting in touch], definitely.”
Thiago Alcântara, meanwhile, will miss the rest of the season because of a hip problem. Although the injury is not believed to be a long-term issue, a minor operation will keep the midfielder out of the final five games of Liverpool’s season.
