Kairat Almaty vs Real Madrid – Match preview and team news

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·30 de septiembre de 2025

Kairat Almaty vs Real Madrid – Match preview and team news

Real Madrid travel to Kazakhstan looking to bounce back from their devastating 5-2 derby defeat to Atletico Madrid as they face first-time Champions League participants Kairat Almaty on Tuesday.

The Spanish giants will be eager to restore pride and maintain their European momentum in what promises to be a historic encounter at the Ortalyq Stadion in Almaty.

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Kairat Almaty qualified for the Champions League in remarkable fashion, coming through the playoffs after a dramatic penalty shootout victory over Celtic.

The Kazakhstan Premier League champions were handed a brutal reality check in their opening matchday one clash, falling to a heavy 4-1 defeat against Sporting CP in Lisbon. Despite the setback, Rafael Urazbakhtin’s side returned to winning ways domestically with a confidence-boosting 3-1 victory over FK Zhenys.

Kairat Almaty vs Real Madrid – Match Preview and Team News

Date: Tuesday, 30th September
Kick-off: 5:45pm BST
Venue: Ortaliq Stadion, Almaty
Referee: Marco Guida

Kairat Almaty team news

The hosts will be hoping striker Dastan Satpayev will make an impact for them in this historic match. Forward Edmilson, who scored their consolation goal against Sporting, will be crucial to their attacking hopes as well.

Goalkeeper Temirlan Anarbekov is injured and young Sherkhan Kalmurza, who impressed during the defeat in Portugal, is set to start once again.

Manager Urazbakhtin, dubbed the “Cobbler Coach” for his previous career as a travelling shoe salesman, acknowledges the immense challenge ahead but promises his team will “give everything” in this historic encounter.

Real Madrid team news

Real Madrid arrive in Kazakhstan nursing wounds from their humiliating 5-2 defeat to Atletico Madrid, their first loss of the season that ended a perfect seven-game winning streak. The defeat has raised serious questions about Xabi Alonso’s defensive setup, particularly their vulnerability to set pieces and aerial threats.

The injury crisis continues to mount for Los Blancos. Captain Dani Carvajal has been ruled out for at least four weeks with a calf injury sustained in the derby. Trent Alexander-Arnold remains sidelined with a hamstring problem picked up against Marseille, leaving the club without a recognised right-back. Antonio Rüdiger is still unavailable until December with a knee issue, while Ferland Mendy continues his recovery from persistent injury problems.

There was relief regarding Éder Militão, who was initially feared to have suffered an ankle injury against Atletico, but tests revealed only severe bruising that should heal within 2-3 days. He has been left out of the travelling squad as a precautionary measure.

Jude Bellingham made his first start of the season in the derby defeat and could feature more prominently, while Eduardo Camavinga had significant playing time off the bench. Endrick Felipe has been included in recent squads but is yet to make his Champions League debut.

Form

Kairat Almaty

The Kazakhstan champions showed remarkable resilience in qualifying, remaining unbeaten in all four home Champions League qualification games without conceding a goal. Their domestic form has been solid, sitting second in the Premier League table just one point behind leaders Astana. However, their European debut against Sporting exposed the gulf in quality at this level, conceding three goals in a devastating four-minute period in the second half.

Real Madrid

Alonso’s men had made a perfect start to the 2025-26 season, winning their opening seven matches across all competitions, including a 2-1 Champions League victory over Marseille. The Atletico defeat was a sobering reality check, with their defensive vulnerabilities brutally exposed. Prior to Saturday’s setback, they had conceded just three goals in seven La Liga fixtures, a statistic that masked underlying defensive issues.