Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp, has received a two-match touchline ban for questioning the decisions of referee Paul Tierney after Liverpool’s victory over Tottenham Hotspur in April.
Klopp was in hot water with the authorities after criticizing Tierney following Liverpool’s dramatic 4-3 victory over Tottenham Hotspur.
Klopp was shown a yellow card for running down the touchline and celebrating in front of fourth official John Brooks after Diogo Jota scored the winning goal in stoppage time.
Klopp later claimed that Tierney’s comments were inappropriate and that he didn’t understand why the official had a problem with Liverpool. The FA have fined Klopp £75,000 ($93,000) and suspended him for two matches on the touchline. Klopp will play the first match of his immediate suspension and will not be on the touchline against Liverpool’s Aston Villa on Saturday.
Depending on Klopp’s future actions, a suspension for the second match will be imposed. The FA said Klopp’s comments about Tierney in post-match media interviews suggested bias, questioned the referee’s integrity, were offensive and personal, discredited the match, and were unfair. He said he would do the right thing. Klopp pleaded guilty. After the match, Klopp told journalists he was unhappy with Tierney’s decision to foul Mohamed Salah just before Tottenham Hotspur’s third goal. Klopp also said Liverpool had a history with Tierney and did not understand why Tierney was having trouble with Liverpool.
Klopp admitted his celebration was unnecessary, but he felt Tierney’s remarks to him were inappropriate when he received the yellow card.
