Klopp fumes at Sevilla

Published Dec. 16, 2010 7:21 p.m. ET

foxsports

Borussia Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp claimed Sevilla resorted to "embarrassing" tactics to knock the Bundesliga leaders out of the Europa League last night.

The game ended 2-2, which meant Sevilla went through as Group J runners-up while Dortmund, who needed a win, were eliminated.

Klopp was livid at the way the Primera Division side had wasted time as the match wore on.

"There is a bitter aftertaste to this defeat," he said on Sat.1 television.

"If I read in the newspapers tomorrow that we lack experience in Europe, then I won't be able to accept that.

"If experience in Europe means wasting time, then I don't want my team to learn something like that.

"It was an embarrassing display from Sevilla. For such a great team to resort to such tactics is an embarrassment."

Even the ballboys contributed to the time wasting by first refusing to give the ball back to Dortmund players and then sending extra balls onto the field to cause further delays.

The referee did not take account of these additional stoppages and he was confronted by an angry Klopp, who raced from his bench to remonstrate with him, at the end of the match.

The Dortmund players were also confused by the lack of additional time.

"The referee could easily have played another half," said defender Neven Subotic.

"It took eight minutes for them to restart play after every foul. Of course we are hugely disappointed."

Dortmund will now focus their attentions on winning the Bundesliga.

They have an 11-point advantage at the top of the table with one game to go before reaching the midway stage of the season.