Real Madrid will add a new chapter to their illustrious UEFA Champions League history on September 30 as Xabi Alonso's take on Kairat.
The trip to Kazakhstan is Madrid's first UCL clash with a team from the Central Asian nation and the first time Kairat, who knocked out Celtic in the playoffs in August, have played a side from Spain.
Alonso's preparations for the long flight have been disrupted by a defensive injury crisis in his squad and their 100% start to the campaign ended by a 5-2 weekend La Liga derby defeat to Atletico Madrid.
Los Blancos had been perfect up to that point with six wins from six in La Liga and an opening UCL victory at home to Marseille.
The 15-time UCL winners have undergone changes as part of Alonso's early months in charge but Kylian Mbappe remains the vital name in attack.
Mbappe ended his debut 2024/25 season in Madrid as the La Liga Golden Boot winner, with 31 goals, and 44 scored across all competitions.
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The France captain has hit the ground running at the start of 2025/26, with 10 goals, including two penalties against Marseille.
Kairat are in completely new territory, after qualifying for the UCL main phase for the first time in their history,
Centre-back Yegor Sorokin will tasked with shackling Mbappe, as Kairat set up in a conservative formation, and the Russian is ready for the challenge ahead.
"Marking Mbappe is a team effort. We'll do everything we can to make him uncomfortable on the pitch. Real Madrid is a top team and we'll pay dearly for any mistake," as per Mundo Deportivo.
"We are ready to face Real Madrid. The atmosphere is tense, not out of fear, more from concentration over how import the game is."
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