ALMATY, Kazakhstan (AP) — Kylian Mbappé scored a hat trick as Real Madrid shrugged off any travel weariness in a 5-0 win at Kairat Almaty in Kazakhstan on Tuesday.
The 15-time European champions traveled nearly 4,000 miles (6,500 kilometers) to play the game in the eastern Kazakh city, Kairat’s first home match in the competition.
The enthusiasm showed with Dastan Satpayev testing Thibault Courtois after just 13 seconds and Jorginho trying his luck a minute later.
Mbappé settled any visiting nerves by dispatching a penalty in the 25th after goalkeeper Sherkhan Kalmurza had brought down Franco Mastantuono.
Mbappé went close again before the break but ultimately the visitors appeared content to let the ball circulate without forcing the initiative too much.
The second half started in the same vein until Courtois caught the Kairat defense out with a long clearance and Mbappé lobbed the ball over Kalmurza in the 52nd for his second goal.
Kairat might have had a way back into the game when Dani Ceballos was penalized for an apparent foul on Valery Gromyko, but referee Marco Guida changed his mind after a VAR review.
Arda Güler sent Mbappé though for his third goal in the 73rd, when the France star completed his fourth hat trick in the competition. Only Robert Lewandowski (6) and Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi (8) have more.
Substitute Eduardo Camavinga scored his first-ever goal in the competition 10 minutes later, and fellow substitute Brahim Díaz completed the scoring in stoppage time.
Atalanta came from behind to beat Club Brugge 2-1 in the other early game.
Later, Bayern Munich visits Pafos in Cyprus for another match against a tournament newcomer.
Atlético is also playing, with Eintracht Frankfurt visiting after nearly throwing away a six-goal lead on Saturday in a 6-4 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Chelsea welcomes José Mourinho back to Stamford Bridge with Benfica. The Portuguese coach had two spells in charge of Chelsea, where he branded himself the “Special One.”
Tottenham already went inside the Arctic Circle to face Bodø/Glimt — winning in the Europa League semifinals in May — and returns for the Norwegian champion’s first home game in the main stage of the Champions League.
In other games, Liverpool visits Galatasaray, Marseille hosts Ajax, and Inter Milan hosts Slavia Prague.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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