Real Madrid will have to endure a long and challenging journey to play against the Champions League newcomers.
It’s a 6,400-kilometer trip and a 12-hour flight. Overcoming such travel fatigue will make playing at FC Kairat’s Almaty ground a tough task for Real Madrid. Coach Xabi Alonso is eager to see how his players handle this challenge.
Among the four away games Real Madrid will play in this season’s Champions League group stage, the match in Almaty from Madrid is the farthest. This is FC Kairat’s first-ever Champions League appearance. They secured their spot in the group stage by defeating former European champions Celtic in a play-off tie-breaker last Tuesday.
The draw for the 36-team group stage, which started in a new format last season, took place on Thursday. Real Madrid will play Manchester City, Juventus, Marseille, and Monaco at home, while their remaining four matches will be away against Liverpool, Benfica, Olympiacos, and FC Kairat.
Ahead of their La Liga clash against Mallorca, Real Madrid coach Alonso spoke at a press conference on Friday, highlighting the game against FC Kairat.
“The group is tough, but it’s also a source of motivation for us. The trip to Almaty will be something special — let’s see how we manage it.”
