Liverpool came back to beat Tottenham Hotspur 4-3 in a thrilling Premier League clash. However, Liverpool manager Gopp's fiery outburst after the match ignited a storm. He bluntly accused referee Paolo Triani of being biased against Liverpool and having a long history of hostility. The comments quickly triggered a strong reaction from the British Referees Association, whose president, Cassidy, even urged the English FA to impose a points deduction penalty on Liverpool, aiming to clamp down on the culture of criticizing referees.
After the game, Kopp celebrated by walking over to the fourth official and blasted Paolo Triani again at the press conference. He said that there was a "grudge" between the two men, implying that there was a personal vendetta. In response, the British professional referee company (PGMOL) quickly responded, stating that after reviewing Paul Triani's enforcement process, did not find any improper behavior, and refuted Gopp's so-called "conspiracy theory".
