IN MANDARIN:
Oh, Jürgen, hi, I got your email.
It sounds so urgent, how can I help?
Listen, I have a very, very important ping-pong game tomorrow
and I really need the best doubles partner in the world.
So, are you free?
I would love to help you, but I'm in Beijing right now.
And I don't have the time to apply for the visa. I'm sorry.
Let me send my student Haoyu, she's also a champion player.
OK.
See you.
It's a wonderful game, so I played it a lot, but not that much in the last 30 years!
They have the pen holder style.
It was so surprising for me that they can play penhold.
We play some table tennis together, Roberto is very good, so I bet on him.
LIU HAOYU: We must win.
Yeah, of course. I keep the ball in the game and you finish.
OK, thank you.
THEY LAUGH
No, we win.
No, no, we win!
STEVE HUNTER: 'This is the Year of the Rooster LFC Table Tennis Challenge,
'Jürgen Klopp and Chinese protege Liu Haoyu
'against Roberto Firmino and Philippe Coutinho.'
KLOPP: Woo!
'What a start from Jürgen Klopp, what a shot!'
FIRMINO: Ooh.
COUTINHO: Yes! LIU HAOYU: Don't worry.
'Normal double rules applying of course in this three-set match.'
I love it, I love it.
'The first to 11 in a set.
'Coutinho and Firmino say they're not gonna let Jürgen beat them - we'll see.
Tentative start so far here at Melwood.
'Coutinho and Firmino using the sophisticated penhold style,
'which has impressed Liu Haoyu.'
I know I am a little bit wild.
'Again, Klopp looks for that big smash.'
I love it.
'So some fantastic skill going on here.
'Coutinho, who says he's the best player in the Liverpool squad,
'trying to show his skill.
'This is a great rally, but Liu Haoyu proves too powerful with that shot.
'WILD shot from Jürgen.'
"Cut", eh?
LAUGHTER
'Liu Haoyu of course is the 2016 UK University champion,
'an absolute privilege and a pleasure to have her playing here at Melwood.'
Ba-ba-ba.
KLOPP: Agh!
'Coutinho and Firmino very much in charge here,
'they need two points for the first set.
'That's a miscue from Coutinho.'
HE SPEAKS PORTUGUESE
Look at his face, I can't believe this!
'Just one point needed for the first set.
'Oh, but Liu Haoyu saves it with a great backhand!'
KLOPP: I love your counting.
'So Bobby and Phil are close to the first set here.'
- Very good. - Yeah.
'Jürgen serves.
'It's Coutinho, Jürgen again - oh, it's into the net.
'And it's the first set to
'Bobby Firmino and Philippe Coutinho.'
That's it, now she is warm.
Warming up finished, boys.
''econd set, Liu and Jürgen have to win this.
KLOPP: What a big table and I don't hit it.
'Great shot by Liu Haoyu, whose aim is to become Olympic champion.
'Another great ace.'
LIU HAOYU: Good.
Just a soft hit.
'Big chance now for Jürgen, but he's hit it straight into the net.
'Nerves of steel and precision required here.
'Oh! '
LAUGHTER
'I think Jürgen's lost his paddle there.
'Watch this again. Oh, wow.
'Nice shots by Liu Haoyu here, showing her skill.
'6-4.'
FIRMINO: Yes!
'6-5 now.
'Now Jürgen... Oh, that's a great strike again!
'From the Liverpool manager.
'Coutinho and Firmino pushing them all of the way here.
'Jürgen again to serve.
'Oh, wild from Bobby Firmino, big chance now for Jürgen.'
Good moment for this.
'Two points needed now to take the set and level things up.
'And now just the one.
'There it is! All to play for in the final set.'
Oh, decisive...
'It's one set apiece.'
I'm a little bit in-between, because I want to win but I still wanna keep them confident.
'Now, who is gonna win in this decisive set?
'Jürgen Klopp tells us he's not played table tennis for 30-odd years.
'Well, who knows, maybe Jürgen and Peter Krawietz have been
'having a little practise game in the Melwood canteen.
'Oh, maybe not with shots like that!
'Great strike!
'That's out by Coutinho.'
Love it.
'Great shot by Liu Haoyu.
'Jürgen with one of his own - 6-3 they lead.'
- Sorry, boys. - You just finished your warm-up.
'Don't apologise, Jürgen, we love it!
'Back again.
'Oh, he's missed it, Coutinho.
'Three points away from victory.'
How is the score, by the way?
LIU HAOYU: 9-3. KLOPP: Who has nine(?)
'A little gamesmanship from the boss!
'Jürgen and Liu Haoyu close to victory here.
'But not with shots like that.'
Oh, match point... Maybe.
'So match point for Jürgen.
'Good strike by Coutinho.
'Is it too late?
'Oh, that's the winner from Jürgen!'
KLOPP: Nice one.
Nice match, huh?
'So there you have it, coming from behind
'to win the Year of the Rooster Table Tennis Challenge -
'Jürgen Klopp and Liu Haoyu.'
He's better than I thought before, yeah.
I gave her money to say this.
Thank you.
KLOPP: Thank you.
BOTH: Yeah!
Fantastic, thank you very much.
LIU HAOYU: Thank you for being my partner.
You saved my life, eh?
ALL SPEAK MANDARIN