Jurgen Klopp banned by the Football Association

Liverpool’s renowned manager, Jurgen Klopp, has been issued a one-match ban by the Football Association (FA) for his criticism of referee Paul Tierney. Additionally, he has been given a suspended ban for one more game until the conclusion of the next season.

Consequently, Klopp will not be permitted to be present at the pitchside for Liverpool’s final home fixture of the season against Aston Villa on Saturday. The match holds significant meaning as it marks the farewell of Roberto Firmino, James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, and Naby Keita to the Reds supporters.

The FA took action against Klopp following his remarks made during Liverpool’s thrilling 4-3 victory over Tottenham Hotspur last month. The manager accused referee Tierney of making “unacceptable” comments after Klopp received a yellow card for celebrating Diogo Jota’s late winning goal in front of fourth official John Brooks.

Jurgen Klopp alleged that Tierney had stated, “‘For me, it’s a red card, but because of [the fourth official], it’s a yellow’.”

The Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL), the organization responsible for English referees, promptly refuted Klopp’s claims. Consequently, the FA initiated an investigation into the manager’s post-match allegations.

As a result, Jurgen Klopp has now been handed a two-match ban and fined £75,000 by the FA. The association determined that his comments constituted “improper conduct as they imply bias, question the integrity of the referee, are personal, offensive, and bring the game into disrepute.”

The initial game of Klopp’s suspension takes effect immediately, barring him from the upcoming Aston Villa clash. The second ban is suspended until the conclusion of the 2023-24 season, conditional on the manager refraining from further breaches.

Assistant manager Pep Lijnders will assume charge of the Liverpool team this weekend, a crucial fixture as they strive to secure a top-four finish. Currently occupying fifth place, the Reds are trailing Newcastle United in third place and Manchester United in fourth by just one point. Liverpool has played one more match than the two teams positioned directly above them in the league table.

As Newcastle faces Brighton in a Premier League match on Thursday night and subsequently competes against Leicester on Monday, Manchester United travels to take on Bournemouth on the same afternoon as Liverpool’s clash with Aston Villa.