Klopp Says Referee Tierney Has Something ‘Against’ Liverpool

Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - April 30, 2023 Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp celebrates after the match. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - April 30, 2023 Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp celebrates after the match. (Reuters)
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Klopp Says Referee Tierney Has Something ‘Against’ Liverpool

Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - April 30, 2023 Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp celebrates after the match. (Reuters)
Football - Premier League - Liverpool v Tottenham Hotspur - Anfield, Liverpool, Britain - April 30, 2023 Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp celebrates after the match. (Reuters)

Juergen Klopp accused referee Paul Tierney of having something "against" Liverpool after their thrilling 4-3 Premier League win over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.

Liverpool led 3-0 after 15 minutes but were pegged back to 3-3 when Richarlison headed past Alisson in stoppage time, with Klopp protesting a free-kick awarded to Tottenham in the build-up to the equalizer.

Diogo Jota then scored Liverpool's winner a minute later and Klopp confronted the fourth official before racing down the touchline to celebrate - for which he was shown a yellow card by Tierney.

Klopp has criticized Tierney in the past, saying he should have shown Spurs striker Harry Kane a red card for a dangerous tackle in a meeting between the sides in 2021, and on Sunday the German manager said Liverpool have "history" with the referee.

"I really don't know what he has against us," Klopp told Sky Sports. "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 did not provide further details on the incident.

Referee's body PGMOL said they were aware of Klopp's comments, adding: "Match officials in the Premier League are recorded in all games via a communications system.

"Having fully reviewed the audio of referee Paul Tierney from today's fixture, we can confirm he acted in a professional manner throughout, including when issuing the caution to the Liverpool manager so, therefore, we strongly refute any suggestion that Tierney's actions were improper."

Klopp has been punished for comments about referees in the past. He was fined 45,000 pounds ($56,502) by the FA in 2019 for remarks about Kevin Friend.



Al-Nassr Out of Asian Champions League with Semifinal Loss to Kawasaki Frontale

Nassr's Portuguese forward #7 Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during the AFC Champions League semi-final match between Saudi's Al-Nassr and Japan's Kawasaki at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah on April 30, 2025. (Photo by AFP)
Nassr's Portuguese forward #7 Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during the AFC Champions League semi-final match between Saudi's Al-Nassr and Japan's Kawasaki at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah on April 30, 2025. (Photo by AFP)
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Al-Nassr Out of Asian Champions League with Semifinal Loss to Kawasaki Frontale

Nassr's Portuguese forward #7 Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during the AFC Champions League semi-final match between Saudi's Al-Nassr and Japan's Kawasaki at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah on April 30, 2025. (Photo by AFP)
Nassr's Portuguese forward #7 Cristiano Ronaldo reacts during the AFC Champions League semi-final match between Saudi's Al-Nassr and Japan's Kawasaki at King Abdullah Sports City in Jeddah on April 30, 2025. (Photo by AFP)

Cristiano Ronaldo’s wait for a major trophy in Saudi Arabia is set to continue after Al-Nassr lost 3-2 to Kawasaki Frontale in the Asian Champions League semifinals on Wednesday.
The 40-year-old Ronaldo, who signed for the Riyadh club in December 2022, had chances but failed to score against the team from Japan.
Kawasaki will face another Saudi team, Al-Ahli, in Saturday’s final with both teams bidding for a first continental title.
Kawasaki was ahead after just 10 minutes on a spectacular volley from Tatsuya Ito. Former Liverpool star Sadio Mane equalized for Al-Nassr before the half-hour mark.
Soon after, Ronaldo headed against the woodwork but it was Kawasaki which scored next, restoring its lead three minutes before the break through Yuto Ozeki.
Al-Nassr continued to attack but fell further behind after 76 minutes when Akihiro Ienaga scored from close range, The Associated Press reported.
Ayman Yahya cut the margin for Al-Nassr with three minutes remaining but despite Ronaldo and Jhon Duran going close, the Riyadh club couldn't get the equalizer.
In the quarterfinals last weekend, Ronaldo scored in Al-Nassr's comfortable win over Yokohama.
Two-time finalist Al-Ahli reached the final by beating fellow Saudi Pro League team Al-Hilal 3-1 on Tuesday.