May 02, (THEWILL) – Jurgen Klopp has admitted he is expecting to be punished for his comments about referee, Paul Tierney, but insists he did not mean to cast doubt on his integrity.
Klopp charged down the touchline to celebrate Liverpool’s 4-3 victory over Tottenham Hotspur, and made suggestions about Tierney having history with the club. He said he never meant to cast aspersions and blamed his emotional response to the win.
The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) rejected Klopp’s claims Tierney’s actions were “improper” and insisted a review of the recording proves Tierney behaved in a “professional manner”. Klopp seems likely to receive an extended touchline ban on the back of actions at the weekend.
THEWILL recalls that he already served a one-game suspension in November after the Football Association successfully appealed against an independent regulatory commission decision to only fine him £30,000 in regards to his behaviour in confronting assistant referee Gary Beswick and subsequently being sent of by referee Anthony Taylor.
“We won a football game 4-3 in a very spectacular manner and the only headlines are the ones I created and I really regret that,” said Klopp. “The whole situation shouldn’t have happened at all. It was out of emotion, it was out of anger in that moment. That’s why I celebrated the way I celebrated.”
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
