Kylian Mbappe scored a hat-trick as Real Madrid thrashed Kairat 5-0 in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League in Kazakhstan on Tuesday.
Xabi Alonso’s side bounced back emphatically from their derby humiliation against Atletico Madrid on Saturday, travelling over 7,000 kilometres to secure a dominant victory on the road.
Mbappe opened the scoring from the penalty spot after 18-year-old goalkeeper Sherkhan Kalmurza fouled Franco Mastantuono in the box.
The Frenchman added two more to complete his treble, while Eduardo Camavinga and Brahim Díaz rounded off the scoring to send Madrid provisionally top of the group.
Despite his hat-trick and a tally of 13 goals in nine games this season, Mbappe admitted he wanted even more.
“My work is helping the team, doing what I can so that the team wins,” he told Movistar. “If I have five chances, I want to score five goals, that’s why Real Madrid bought me. I’ll work to be better and more efficient in front of goal.”
Kairat, competing in the group stage for the first time after eliminating Celtic in qualifying, struggled badly, particularly with their teenage stand-in goalkeeper forced into action because of injuries to three senior shot-stoppers.
Real Madrid, however, looked every bit the European giants, led once again by Mbappe’s brilliance.
