The matchday two of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League Group Stage between FC Kairat Almaty (Kazakhstan) and Real Madrid (Spain), held on September 30, 2025, at the Almaty Central Stadium, ended with a resounding 5-0 victory for the visitors.
This was Real Madrid’s second win in as many group stage matches, following their previous triumph over Marseille. Kairat, making their debut in the expanded 36-team league stage as one of the national champions’ path qualifiers, put in a strong effort in the first half but were ultimately overcome by Real Madrid’s precise finishing.
Key Events and Goals:
25′: Kylian Mbappé converts a penalty after a foul on Franco Mastantuono (1-0).
52′: Mbappé finishes with a sublime finish after a long pass from Thibaut Courtois (2-0). 73′: Mbappé completes his hat trick with a first-time volley assist from Rodrygo and Arda Güler (3-0).
83′: Substitute Eduardo Camavinga heads in a Rodrygo cross (4-0).
90+3′: Brahim Díaz finishes low to seal the rout (5-0).
Mbappé’s performance was the most notable, scoring his fourth Champions League hat trick and taking his total goals in the competition to 60, placing him in an elite group that includes Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Impact
After a humiliating 5-2 derby defeat against Atlético Madrid just days earlier, this resounding away win (despite a grueling 13-hour trip to Kazakhstan) provided a vital psychological reset.
The match demonstrated Real Madrid’s depth, with Xabi Alonso rotating several players (e.g., Mastantuono and Güler starting) while Mbappé remained the key player.
Substitutes such as Camavinga and Díaz contributed directly to the goals, highlighting the team’s resilience in the face of injury (e.g., the absence of Dani Carvajal).
Mbappé’s form. The French star’s milestone not only increased Real Madrid’s scoring tally but also reaffirmed his integration into the team after a seemingly weak start to the season. His three goals came from a variety of sources (penalty, individual brilliance, team play), underscoring his versatility.
Real Madrid controlled 62% of possession and generated 18 shots (8 on target), but the victory exposed persistent vulnerabilities: Kairat created chances, including a penalty ruled out by VAR, testing Thibaut Courtois (who also assisted Mbappé’s second goal).
As an underdog (ranked ~150th in the UEFA coefficients), a heavy defeat against a giant like Real Madrid was expected, but Kairat’s first-half pressing and counterattacks (e.g., Valeri Gromyko’s near-goal) earned praise for their competitiveness. It was their first defeat in the UCL league stage, but it provided them with invaluable experience against top-flight opposition.
The match drew a record crowd in Kazakhstan, boosting local football, although the scoreline could undermine confidence ahead of their upcoming domestic fixtures in the Kazakh Premier League.
Real Madrid now sits comfortably on 6 points after two wins (9 goals scored and 2 conceded), strengthening their position in the 36-team format, where the top 8 advance directly to the round of 16 and those in 9th to 24th place enter the playoffs. This result keeps them on track for a solid qualification.
Kairat, with 0 points, faces an uphill battle in their remaining 6 matches, but can still challenge for a playoff spot by upsetting mid-tier teams.
Mbappé’s record of achievements cements his position as Real Madrid’s main scoring threat, which could ease the pressure on Vinícius Júnior (who missed early chances). At Kairat, coach Graeme Carey could rotate more intensively in future matches to strengthen their resilience.
No major injuries have been reported, but Real Madrid’s travel fatigue could linger in their next La Liga match.
The lopsided result highlights the challenges of the new format for smaller nations. Kairat’s inclusion through the qualifying phase promotes inclusion, but these imbalances could widen the gap between elite clubs and newcomers. In financial terms, Kairat received between €15 and €20 million in solidarity payments from UEFA, which provided a significant boost to infrastructure.
La aplastante victoria del Real Madrid sobre el Kairat fue toda una declaración de intenciones: a pesar de los tropiezos en casa, su pedigrí europeo sigue siendo inigualable, con Mbappé emergiendo como la estrella en la era post-Benzema.
La victoria, aunque contra equipos modestos, no estuvo exenta de cierta complacencia: la amenaza inicial del Kairat subraya la necesidad de mantener la concentración en la impredecible fase liguera. Para el Kairat, es un bautismo duro pero formativo en la élite europea, impulsando el crecimiento a largo plazo del fútbol centroasiático.
En general, este encuentro ejemplificó la creciente proyección global de la UCL, combinando espectáculo con marcadas desigualdades, y posiciona al Real Madrid como líder, a la vez que ofrece a equipos menos favorecidos como el Kairat una plataforma para soñar a lo grande.
