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.



Mastantuono’s Move to Real Madrid Was Premature, Says River Boss Gallardo

Franco Mastantuono #30 of CA River Plate looks on during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 group E match between CA River Plate and Urawa Red Diamonds at Lumen Field on June 17, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. )Getty Images/AFP)
Franco Mastantuono #30 of CA River Plate looks on during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 group E match between CA River Plate and Urawa Red Diamonds at Lumen Field on June 17, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. )Getty Images/AFP)
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Mastantuono’s Move to Real Madrid Was Premature, Says River Boss Gallardo

Franco Mastantuono #30 of CA River Plate looks on during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 group E match between CA River Plate and Urawa Red Diamonds at Lumen Field on June 17, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. )Getty Images/AFP)
Franco Mastantuono #30 of CA River Plate looks on during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 group E match between CA River Plate and Urawa Red Diamonds at Lumen Field on June 17, 2025 in Seattle, Washington. )Getty Images/AFP)

Franco Mastantuono's transfer to Real Madrid came too soon, while the 17-year-old was still developing and pivotal to River Plate's future, said coach Marcelo Gallardo ahead of the Argentine team's Club World Cup match against Monterrey.

Gallardo acknowledged Mastantuono's departure will leave a void in his squad after the Spanish giants completed a deal worth around $45 million with River for the teenager earlier this month.

For the Argentine manager, the midfielder still needed more time to grow at the club, but he acknowledged the early transfer as an understandable part of modern football.

"It's natural, we train players for the world. Everything is happening earlier, young players are leaving faster, and I understand that those are the rules of the game," Gallardo told ESPN on Friday.

"Our sporting project for the year was with him. We have to readjust, because there are players who, by their nature, are difficult to replace.

"We knew that Mastantuono was going to leave at some point, but fans don't enjoy it that way. The market dictates the timing."

Gallardo said he's urging Mastantuono to stay focused on the tournament despite the noise around his move.

"All I want is for him to play naturally, to try to forget about everything that's going on, which is very difficult," he said.

"I don't talk to him about where he's going to live or anything like that. I want him to play, which is what he knows how to do."

River began their Club World Cup campaign with a 3-1 win over Japan's Urawa Red Diamonds, a result Gallardo described as key to easing early nerves.

"We are happy to be able to be in a competition like this, a new one," he said. "I'm excited about how it's going, it was essential to start with a win and get over the nerves.

"Now we're preparing for the match in Monterrey, which is a different level of difficulty."

Following Saturday's game against the Mexican team in Pasadena, River will face Champions League runners-up Inter Milan on Wednesday.