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Kylian Mbappé scored a hat-trick as Real Madrid eased to a 5-0 away win over Champions League debutants Kairat Almaty on Tuesday.
Xabi Alonso’s side bounced back from Saturday’s humbling 5-2 La Liga loss to Atlético Madrid in style, with Mbappé taking his Champions League tally to five goals in two European games this season.
Kairat, undeterred by their underdog status, began brightly and created a couple of half-chances down the left. Real Madrid gradually asserted control, though, and the breakthrough arrived in the 25th minute. Franco Mastantu was fouled by 18-year-old goalkeeper Sherhan Kalmurza, and Mbappé rifled home the resulting penalty.
Despite several more chances, Real ended the first half in Kazakhstan with a slender 1-0 lead, but Mbappé doubled their advantage in the 52nd minute with a moment of brilliance. From goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois’ kick downfield, Mbappé outpaced Kairat’s defence and chipped the advancing Kalmurza.
The hosts thought they had a lifeline in the 69th minute when Dani Ceballos was penalised for a foul on Valeriy Gromyko in the box, but the referee overturned his original decision after a VAR review.
Mbappé sealed his hat-trick in the 73rd minute, unleashing a thunderous strike from the edge of the box into the top corner, following a dazzling run by substitute Rodrygo. The Brazilian then set up Eduardo Camavinga to head home before Brahim Díaz completed the rout in stoppage time with a close-range finish.
“We must never forget [what happened on Saturday],” Mbappé told Movistar Plus. “Yes, it’s another competition, but we have to keep thinking about what happened last weekend so we can learn from our mistakes and work to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
“My job is to help the team and I only think about doing what I can to help the team win matches and trophies,” added the France forward. “A player like me, when he has five chances, wants and has to score all five. That’s why Real Madrid bought me and I always want more. Three [goals] was very good, but I could have scored more.”
Atalanta came from behind to beat Club Brugge 2-1 at home in Tuesday’s other early kick-off, with Mario Pasalic netting the winner after earning the penalty that led to the hosts’ equaliser.
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The Belgian visitors broke the deadlock when an error from Marten de Roon allowed Carlos Forbs to tee up Christos Tzolis, who jinked left and then right before scoring with a curling effort in the 38th minute.
Atalanta struggled to create chances but were handed a lifeline in the 74th minute. The Club Brugge keeper, Nordin Jackers, brought down Pasalic while trying to swipe the ball away from danger on the edge of the area, and Lazar Samardzic converted the spot-kick.
Club Brugge might have snatched the lead back a minute later, but Romeo Vermant’s effort went narrowly wide with Atalanta keeper Marco Carnesecchi out of position. Eventually, home pressure told and Pasalic climbed at the back post to head home the winner with three minutes left on the clock.
