Real Madrid made a winning start to the league phase of the Champions League, beating Marseille 2-1. They are favorites again in Matchday 2 as they face debutantes FC Kairat. The Kazakhs were beaten 4-1 in their first ever UCL game by Sporting in game 1.
Despite being heavy favorites, head coach Xabi Alonso is not taking the opponents lightly as they will be looking to cause one of the biggest shocks in the competition's history on September 30.
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Alonso spoke to the media after the long trip to Kazakhstan for the game on Tuesday. Read on to know what he said (via Real Madrid).
It’s a Champions League match. It doesn’t matter who the opponent is or where we come from. We want to win and having a good start is important. We already did it in the home game with the victory and we want to continue away from home to pick up points.
Xabi Alonso
Q: The keys for tomorrow
Alonso: Playing well means pressing well, defending, and attacking well. With the players we have and our style of play, it's going to be competitive and intense because the opponent is well prepared physically and tactically. They're well-organized, and we have to prepare well for the match from the start.
Q: Will you rotate?
Alonso: I'm going to go out with eleven players, and all eleven are Real Madrid players . It will be a competitive team against a team that's making its first appearance, but one that's doing well and will demand a high level of performance from us.
Xabi Alonso
IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire
Q: On Kairat Almaty
Alonso: We watched the games against Celtic and the other day against Sporting de Portugal. They have a well-formed core and have options in attack with different profiles. They're a direct team that plays well and is very clear about what they're doing. We have to compete well.
We've analyzed the opponent collectively and individually. I knew little about them before, but now I know much more. They're a team that's in the Champions League and deserves to be in the Champions League. The result the other day was overwhelming, and tomorrow, playing at home with a lot of emotion, we have to be prepared.
Q: The trip to Almaty
Alonso: You have to adapt, and it's not a question of whether the trip bothers you or not. We've changed the usual roadmap, but in football, the smartest player adapts best. It's just another game, and the trip isn't an impediment or an excuse.
Q: The derby
Alonso: Whether we win or lose, we have to feel that way for 24 hours. It wasn't just attitude, but also rhythm and tactical and game aspects that we need to improve in terms of solutions and rhythm to compete better. We didn't compete well. We've done the internal analysis to use it, and we're already in Champions League mode in Almaty.
I like to analyze and think ahead after every match. With the players we have, we'll have options depending on what we need. We'll need Jude , Arda , Fede , Edu , Dani , Aurelien … We have plenty of options in the middle, and wingers too. The other day didn't go as we expected, but for what's coming up, we have plenty of options.
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— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) September 29, 2025
Q: A lack of connection and attitude at the Metropolitano?
Alonso: I haven't seen a lack, but I think it exists. Spirit is fundamental when it comes to building a footballing idea. We're on the path of building and improving. How long will it last? I don't know, but we're still taking steps forward, and to take two steps forward, you might have to take one back. We want to continue improving and defining how we want to be, both in terms of football and the team's personality. We'll be able to improve on that.
We have to move on. We shouldn't just analyze the attitude. There were footballing reasons. We weren't at our best, and that's part of the adaptation and learning process. We've been here for 58 days, and there we go... It hurt, but we're back in Champions League mode .
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