Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp’s letter to FA in full that helped reduce PL ban

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp wrote a letter to the FA to apologise and explain his actions towards referee Paul Tierney and fourth official John Brooks, who he celebrated in front of during his side’s 4-3 win over Tottenham last month. The German has since received a two-match touchline ban, with one of those games suspended, after writing a letter to the association.

Klopp has been punished for celebrating in Brooks’ face and launching into a rant accusing referee Tierney of being biased against his side, which Klopp later retracted and apologised.

After the game, Klopp said: “How they can give a foul on Mohamed Salah [just before Spurs’ third goal]? We have our history with Tierney. I really don’t know what he has against us. He has said there is no problems but that cannot be true. How he looks at me, I don’t understand it. My celebration was unnecessary, which is fair, but what he said to me when he gave me the yellow card is not OK.”

Klopp has received a two-match touchline ban, with the second game being suspended on the condition that he does not commit any further breaches, in addition to a fine of £75,000. There is a chance that he could have been facing a stronger punishment however, if not writing to the FA to apologise and explain his actions in a letter that the FA has released.

Jurgen Klopp’s letter in full 

“I want to start this submission with the most important sentiment I must express; I am sorry. I am sorry for my reaction in that immediate moment when I ran towards the fourth official, Mr Brooks and I fully accepted a caution was justified.

“I accepted that then and I accept now that a yellow card was correct. Equally I am sorry for some of the tone and content of my post-match interview. Although it was not my intention I accept now it appears that I was questioning Mr Tierney’s integrity. I take ownership of this. On reflection, the words I used were inappropriate. Both of these incidents were driven by emotion. I was overly emotional at some of the decisions made, which then led to frustration and a feeling of unfairness.

“I carried that emotion into the mandated and time sensitive post-match press commitments. I do ask that you look at the comments I made in the following context; we are, as Managers, contractually required to make ourselves available in a timely fashion. This doesn’t readily allow for a more measured approach.

“Also, English is not my primary language and at times what I mean to say and how I say it can conflict. For the avoidance of doubt, I was trying to express how I felt whilst dealing with the frustration I was feeling around a number of decisions made during the game. It was about feelings and emotions.

“To be absolutely clear, I know that Mr. Tierney, along with all other officials, do their work without any pre-conceived bias or prejudice. Although not an excuse, I believe we have made up a high percentage of Mr Tierney’s matches this season? Something in the region of 20 per cent of the matches he has officiated have involved my team.