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Preview: Madrid are in Kazakhstan for Kairat test

Preview: Madrid are in Kazakhstan for Kairat test

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A derby hammering didn’t make for pretty viewing for Real Madrid fans or new boss Xabi Alonso, but Los Blancos will be hoping for a routine return to winning ways in the Champions League midweek.

By Karl Matchett

A chasm between them

It is in pretty much every way the game with the biggest gaps of the league phase, from financial to geographical – it’s far closer and quicker for the Spanish side to get to most of Africa and plenty of Asia, than it is for them to travel to the eastern side of Kazakhstan, where hosts Kairat Almaty are based. Even a small part of China is closer than this trip – but at the end of it will be a club whose record signing for €1m was made more than half a decade ago. Real Madrid spent ten times as much just to sign Trent Alexander-Arnold a month early from his Liverpool contract, let alone the other €150m spent on squad additions this past summer. As for Champions League history, this is Kairat’s first time in the competition proper – Real have won it 15 times.

Defensive concerns

Still, in 90 minutes anything can happen, as they say. In the last European 90 minutes, no surprises emerged as Kairat went to Sporting and were hammered 4-1, though they held out resolutely until almost half time. Real Madrid will hope that a similar approach of relentless attacking will pave the way to success, because they have a host of defensive injuries right now – two left-backs in the XI looks likely, and Xabi Alonso could even revert to his three-man defensive line given both right-backs are missing too. One name to note from Kairat Almaty will look to exploit that weakness: 17-year-old striker Dastan Satpaev is off to Chelsea next summer and has 11 league goals this season – we profiled him a while back – here.

Recent form

The Kazakh side sit second in their domestic league and have won their last three, though widen it to all competitions and it’s three wins from seven – though that factors in two draws with Celtic and an eventual shootout win to reach the league phase in Europe. Real Madrid’s humiliation at Atlético over the weekend leaves them one point off Barcelona in LaLiga, having won seven straight prior to that beating.

Team news

Élder Santana and João Paulo are out long-term for Kairat, with Alexandr Zarutskiy a doubt.

For Real, Dani Carvajal misses a month, Trent Alexander-Arnold is still missing, Éder Militão is a new injury absence and both Ferland Mendy and Antonio Rüdiger remain sidelined. David Alaba has only played ten minutes this season but might be needed here.

Key player

On the assumption Kylian Mbappé is double-marked more often than not, Arda Güler has been a strong performer with three goals and three assists this term. In LaLiga so far it’s 3.8 chances created per 90, as well as 2 shots. He’s in the top 2% of attacking midfielders for chance creation over the past year.

Prediction

Real Madrid will simply have too much in attack even if the balance in the side isn’t there: Kairat Almaty 0-3 Real Madrid.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Champions League with FotMob this season – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.

Preview: Madrid are in Kazakhstan for Kairat test

A derby hammering didn’t make for pretty viewing for Real Madrid fans or new boss Xabi Alonso, but Los Blancos will be hoping for a routine return to winning ways in the Champions League midweek.

By Karl Matchett

A chasm between them

It is in pretty much every way the game with the biggest gaps of the league phase, from financial to geographical – it’s far closer and quicker for the Spanish side to get to most of Africa and plenty of Asia, than it is for them to travel to the eastern side of Kazakhstan, where hosts Kairat Almaty are based. Even a small part of China is closer than this trip – but at the end of it will be a club whose record signing for €1m was made more than half a decade ago. Real Madrid spent ten times as much just to sign Trent Alexander-Arnold a month early from his Liverpool contract, let alone the other €150m spent on squad additions this past summer. As for Champions League history, this is Kairat’s first time in the competition proper – Real have won it 15 times.

Defensive concerns

Still, in 90 minutes anything can happen, as they say. In the last European 90 minutes, no surprises emerged as Kairat went to Sporting and were hammered 4-1, though they held out resolutely until almost half time. Real Madrid will hope that a similar approach of relentless attacking will pave the way to success, because they have a host of defensive injuries right now – two left-backs in the XI looks likely, and Xabi Alonso could even revert to his three-man defensive line given both right-backs are missing too. One name to note from Kairat Almaty will look to exploit that weakness: 17-year-old striker Dastan Satpaev is off to Chelsea next summer and has 11 league goals this season – we profiled him a while back – here.

Recent form

The Kazakh side sit second in their domestic league and have won their last three, though widen it to all competitions and it’s three wins from seven – though that factors in two draws with Celtic and an eventual shootout win to reach the league phase in Europe. Real Madrid’s humiliation at Atlético over the weekend leaves them one point off Barcelona in LaLiga, having won seven straight prior to that beating.

Team news

Élder Santana and João Paulo are out long-term for Kairat, with Alexandr Zarutskiy a doubt.

For Real, Dani Carvajal misses a month, Trent Alexander-Arnold is still missing, Éder Militão is a new injury absence and both Ferland Mendy and Antonio Rüdiger remain sidelined. David Alaba has only played ten minutes this season but might be needed here.

Key player

On the assumption Kylian Mbappé is double-marked more often than not, Arda Güler has been a strong performer with three goals and three assists this term. In LaLiga so far it’s 3.8 chances created per 90, as well as 2 shots. He’s in the top 2% of attacking midfielders for chance creation over the past year.

Prediction

Real Madrid will simply have too much in attack even if the balance in the side isn’t there: Kairat Almaty 0-3 Real Madrid.

(Cover image from IMAGO)

You can follow every game from the Champions League with FotMob this season – featuring deep stats coverage, xG, and player ratings. Download the free app here.