Among the eight opponents drawn for Real Madrid in the Champions League group stage draw, the one currently causing the most concern at the Valdebebas sports city is Kairat Almaty. Not because of the squad, which is somewhat unknown, but due to the logistics of the trip. Xabi Alonso's expedition will fly to Almaty, in Kazakhstan, 8,000 kilometers from Madrid and just 300 from the Chinese border to face debutant Kairat in one of the four away matches they will have to play in this round.
The charter flight lasts eight hours, which will feel like 13, 16, or 24 hours depending on connections for fans daring to cross half the world to see Madrid play. Because the Kazakh city will be the most eastern in Champions League history, surpassing Astana, whose team debuted in the continental tournament in 2015.
Concerns include the flight and the temperature in Almaty, located at the foot of the Trans-Ili Alatau mountain range, which is snow-covered during the coldest months of the year when the Champions League group stage is played. If Madrid is lucky, they will play in one of the early matchdays of this edition, in September, when temperatures are around 10 degrees. But if luck is not on their side and they have to travel from October onwards, they could face temperatures of up to nine degrees below zero. Additionally, to fit UEFA's schedule and being three hours ahead of Madrid, the match will have to be played at the earliest available time that day, at 18:45 in the Spanish capital, which will be 21:45 in the mountainous Almaty, home to two million people.
From the Silk Road to World War II
The city, which experienced its heyday as a Silk Road transit point between the 15th and 18th centuries, suffered a devastating earthquake in 1887 while part of the Russian Empire, almost completely destroying it. Its incorporation into the empire and the subsequent Soviet era, especially during World War II, transformed the region into an industrial hub and evacuation center.
Stripped of its status as the capital in favor of Astana, football once again puts Almaty on the map thanks to Kairat. Founded in 1954, the club has only won two Kazakhstan Leagues and five Cups but is beloved in the country for being the only Kazakh team to compete in the Soviet League. It is presided over by Kayrat Boranbayev, a businessman with investments in the oil and gas industry, coached by Kazakh Rafael Urazbakhtin, and its star is 17-year-old teenager Dastan Satpaev, who became the youngest goal scorer in Champions League history at 16 during the playoffs and has already signed with Chelsea for the upcoming season.
The Kairat locker room is a mix: 13 Kazakhs forming the local core, two Belarusians, a Russian, two Israelis, four Brazilians, two Georgians, two Portuguese, and a Serbian. Together, they achieved a historic victory against Celtic in the playoffs preceding Real Madrid's visit.
Real Madrid's other three away matches in the Champions League also pose challenges: Anfield Road, home of Liverpool where they suffered a defeat last year; Lisbon, where Benfica plays; and Athens, to face Olympiacos managed by Mendilibar, the reigning Conference League champion. The Santiago Bernabéu will host several historic clubs: Manchester City under Pep Guardiola, following a reconstruction phase, will visit Chamartín once more, adding another chapter to a decade of constant duels. Additionally, Juventus, Olympique de Marseille, both former European champions, and Monaco will test Xabi Alonso's team.