Real Madrid looking for their first away UCL win near the China border
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Reading Time: 2min | Tue. 30.09.25. | 11:50
Los Blancos face debutants Kairat, the champion of Kazakhstan, after flying almost 4,000 miles to Almaty in the easternmost match ever played in the competition's history
The UEFA Champions League opens a new exotic chapter this Tuesday night in Almaty, the biggest city in Kazakhstan (7.45 pm), where local Kairat FC awaits Real Madrid!
What a privilege for the Kazakh minnows to kickstart their UCL home campaign with a game against the most decorated club in the world. We still remember that iconic, spontaneous celebration of Kairat's players when they were drawn to the group with the Champions League giants. It will also be the easternmost game ever played in UCL history, as Almaty is around 250 kilometres away from the border with China!
Real Madrid's journey to Kairat Almaty will be one of a kind 🤯
— Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) August 28, 2025
The Kazakhstani team near the Chinese border ✈️ pic.twitter.com/Xx5HX87XYK
The Spaniards had to fly nearly 6,000 kilometres from Madrid to reach Kairat's home. This tie happens just days after Xabi Alonso's side suffered a humiliating 5-2 loss to Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid in La Liga.
However, Los Blancos' boss was keen not to allow his side to use this as an excuse for any sign of standards slipping.
"You have to adapt. We've changed the usual roadmap a bit, but in football, the smartest is the one who knows how to adapt best. It's just another game, and that's not an impediment or an excuse."
The solution to Madrid's problems is quite simple, at least when you listen to Xabi Alonso...
"Play well, press well, defend well, attack well… With our form, with whoever comes out, it will be a competitive match. Kairat are well organised and has good momentum. We'll have to take it seriously from the start."
Kairat Almaty players’ reaction when they learned they’ll face Real Madrid 🤩
— 433 (@433) August 28, 2025
🎥 FC Kairat pic.twitter.com/8oKB9T68aL
On the other hand, Kairat's star Dastan Satpayev was pretty confident and a bit witty ahead of tonight's clash:
"We are not Atletico Madrid, but we will try to score several goals against them."
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE - MATCHDAY 2
Tuesday
19.45: (1.95) Atalanta (3.70) Club Brugge (4.10)
19.45: (35.0) Kairat Almaty (14.0) Real Madrid (1.08)
22.00: (1.48) Atl.Madrid (4.85) Eintr.Frankfurt (6.75)
22.00: (3.15) Bodo (3.75) Tottenham (2.15)
22.00: (1.70) Chelsea (4.00) Benfica (5.25)
22.00: (4.95) Galatasaray (4.30) Liverpool (1.70)
22.00: (1.28) Inter (5.90) Slavia Praha (9.50)
22.00: (1.48) Olympique Marseille (4.70) Ajax (7.00)
22.00: (21.0) Paphos (11.0) Bayern (1.12)
Wednesday
19.45: (2.70) Qarabag (3.35) Copenhagen (2.60)
19.45: (3.50) St.Gilloise (3.45) Newcastle (2.10)
22.00: (1.20) Arsenal (6.75) Olympiakos (14.0)
22.00: (1.95) Barcelona (3.70) PSG (3.70)
22.00: (1.83) Dortmund (3.50) Ath.Bilbao (4.50)
22.00: (1.87) Leverkusen (3.60) PSV (4.20)
22.00: (6.75) Monaco (4.40) Man.City (1.48)
22.00: (1.90) Napoli (3.50) Sporting (4.10)
22.00: (2.35) Villareal (3.35) Juventus (3.05)
***odds are subject to change***
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