Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp hit with FA charge over ref outburst

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has been charged with improper conduct by the English Football Association for his comments about referee Paul Tierney following Sunday’s thrilling 4-3 victory over Tottenham on Sunday.

Klopp was handed a yellow card for celebrating Diogo Jota‘s 94th-minute winner by running towards the fourth official John Brooks at Anfield, where the German also injured himself in the process.

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After the game, Klopp accused Tierney of having something “against” Liverpool but the referee’s body PGMOL reviewed the audio of Tierney and said he acted in a professional manner throughout.

“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,” the FA said in a statement Tuesday.

Klopp has until May 5 to provide a response.to the charge.

Klopp said after the match he was angered by remarks the referee made to him on the touchline, describing them as “not OK.”

In a news conference Tuesday ahead of his side’s Premier League clash with Fulham, Klopp disclosed what Tierney said: “I couldn’t get close to the fourth official, I felt my muscle [after pulling a hamstring]. That’s it. Then Paul Tierney came over to me, I didn’t expect a red. I expected yellow. He said to me: ‘For me it’s red, but because [you taunted the fourth official], it’s yellow.’ I said, ‘Red card for what?’

“I went in, tried to calm down and couldn’t when I spoke to [the] press. Then I said that what he said was ‘not OK.’ I thought it wasn’t OK because it wasn’t a red but I opened the box with that. I should’ve just said he said it was a red card. Rest was how I felt at that moment.”

British media reported on Tuesday that Klopp faces a lengthy ban for his celebration, with the English Football Association expected to take a firm line to show it is protecting match officials.

In 2018, then-Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger was given a three-match touchline ban for verbally abusing a referee and questioning his integrity.

When asked about a potential ban, the German coach said he regretted his actions and is bracing for punishment: “I shouldn’t have said what I said, but I didn’t lie.

“It’s not in my hands what goes on now. We won a game 4-3 in a spectacular manner and [the] only headlines I created [were negative]. We expect a reaction because everyone tells us [a punishment] will come.”

Klopp sustained a hamstring injury during the celebration, which he said would be severe enough to keep a player out for six weeks.

Information from Reuters was used in this report.