Jurgen Klopp’s History with Referees: A Closer Look
Jurgen Klopp, the manager of Liverpool FC, has had his fair share of controversies with referees over the years. While he has toned down his emotions this season, Klopp has been known for his visible frustrations with officials in the past.
During his time at Borussia Dortmund, Klopp encountered one of England’s most high-profile referees, Mark Clattenburg, in a Champions League match against Real Madrid in April 2014. After Dortmund’s 3-0 defeat at the Bernabeu, Clattenburg revealed in his book, Whistle Blower, that Madrid’s Marcelo and his wife asked for a picture. Klopp, passing by at that moment, sarcastically remarked, “Oh, so that’s why we got beat is it?” Clattenburg responded by saying, “You’re lucky you only got beat 3-0.” The incident left Klopp bemused and questioning the referee’s relationship with Marcelo.
The encounter between Klopp and Clattenburg didn’t end there. Three years later, in January 2017, when Liverpool drew 1-1 against Chelsea, Klopp stared at Clattenburg for about 30 seconds before the match. Clattenburg described the incident as bizarre and mentioned that even Jordan Henderson, Liverpool’s player, was confused by Klopp’s behavior.
Clattenburg eventually left for Saudi Arabia, but the exchange of words with Klopp continued. In 2021, the ex-referee made comments suggesting that Klopp was playing mind games like Alex Ferguson. In response, Klopp stated that such remarks say more about Clattenburg than about himself and claimed that he lacks the skills for playing mind games.
Despite these controversies, Klopp’s focus remains on leading Liverpool to success on the field. While his interactions with referees have sometimes been contentious, they are a testament to his passion and desire to defend his team.