Real Madrid bounced back from their heavy blow at the Metropolitano with a commanding 5-0 victory over Kairat Almaty in the second round of the Champions League. The star of the night was Kylian Mbappé, who delivered a hat-trick to reaffirm his status as the team’s undisputed leader and silence, at least for a few days, the whispers of crisis.

A Shaky Start and Mbappé’s Awakening

Madrid’s debut on Asian soil didn’t begin ideally. Kairat, spurred on by a historic atmosphere at the Central Stadium of Almaty, pressed from the opening whistle and nearly scored within ten seconds through a header from 17-year-old prospect Dastán Satpáyev, saved by Courtois.

Xabi Alonso’s side, featuring five changes from the lineup that fell to Atlético, took time to settle. It wasn’t until Ceballos began to dictate play that the visitors found some control. The breakthrough came thanks to Franco Mastantuono, who won a penalty in the 25th minute after being brought down by the local keeper. Mbappé converted with confidence from the spot to open the scoring.

The Frenchman’s Show: A Decisive Hat-Trick

The second half confirmed what was already clear: this was Mbappé’s match. In the 52nd minute, the striker latched onto a long clearance from Courtois, outpaced Sorokin, and finished with delicate precision past Kalmurza.

The Frenchman then capped his magical night with a thunderous strike from outside the box in the 74th minute, sealing his fourth Champions League hat-trick. His partnership with Vinícius and flashes of brilliance from Güler proved crucial in Real Madrid’s attacking display.

With Kairat broken, Camavinga (83’) and Brahim (93’) added the finishing touches to a rout that restored much-needed confidence to Xabi Alonso’s men.

A Victory That Calms the Storm

Although doubts remain about the team’s midfield play, the emphatic win and their star’s performance acted as the perfect antidote to the 5-2 defeat against Atlético Madrid. With six points from two matches, Real Madrid now top their group and will host Juventus at the Santiago Bernabéu on October 23.

The message was loud and clear: this is Mbappé’s Madrid, and when the Frenchman is inspired, anything feels possible for Los Blancos in Europe.

Here are all the goals from the match: