Jurgen Klopp has claimed he could have avoided his FA job if he had put on a different face when he confronted the referees during Liverpool’s loss to Manchester City earlier this month.
The German strategist was ordered to pay £30,000 after admitting misconduct during Pep Guardiola’s side’s 1-0 defeat at Anfield, but avoided a touchline ban.
The 55-year-old admitted he wasn’t sure if he deserved a ban but is now looking to move past the situation.
“I know what I said, and I know to say that, but from a greater distance and with a different face, it would have been completely fine,” the German said (quoted by The Independent). “I said ‘how can you not, how can you not?’
“I think the most expensive face, I’m not sure in the world, but at least here. I think it’s a lot of money, but I heard that it will be invested in something good, and that’s fine.
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“Should I have a ban? I don’t know. I’ve never been in the situation, I’ve never had a red card, I’ve never had a yellow card that I know of.
“I’m the wrong person you should be asking. I have no idea what the usual things are. I had a touchline ban years ago in the Champions League with (Borussia) Dortmund, a very similar situation, but obviously the Champions League is a bit different.
“I’m not happy or relieved or whatever. It’s just that he was waiting for the punishment, take it and then go from there.
Klopp was furious after Bernardo Silva’s foul on Mo Salah went unpunished and after yelling in the linesman’s face, the former Borussia Dortmund manager received a red card from referee Anthony Taylor and was taken off the bench.
Pundits such as Simon Jordan and Ray Parlor were taken aback by the FA’s decision not to penalize the former Mainz manager on the touchline and the FA Cup champions will now have their head coach on the bench for Leeds’ visit. to Anfield tomorrow.
The Liverpool manager is hoping his team can put on another strong performance against Jesse Marsch’s side after the Reds’ stunning defeat of Ajax on Wednesday night.
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