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Tengrinews.kz – Almaty’s Kairat will play their first-ever group stage match in the UEFA Champions League on the night of September 18–19. Tengri Sport looks at what is known about their opponent, Portugal’s Sporting.
Kairat will make their debut at Lisbon’s iconic Estádio José Alvalade, which holds 50,000 spectators — slightly smaller than Celtic Park, where the Kazakh club battled for qualification.
Sporting – 21-time Portuguese champion
Sporting is one of Portugal’s “big three,” alongside Porto and Benfica. The club has won the league title 21 times, most of them between the 1940s and 1970s.
In recent years, Sporting has reestablished its dominance, winning the Primeira Liga in both the 2023/24 and 2024/25 seasons. Last year, even after parting ways mid-season with coach Rúben Amorim, who joined Manchester United, the team secured a domestic double — the league and the Portuguese Cup.
Portugal’s most valuable squad
According to Transfermarkt, Sporting tops the list of Portuguese clubs by squad value at €434.3 million, surpassing Porto and Benfica. Unlike their rivals, Sporting fields fewer foreign players.
The stars of the team include Portuguese internationals Gonçalo Inácio (€45 million), Jovane Cabral (€45 million), and Francisco Trincão (€35 million), as well as Denmark’s Morten Hjulmand (€50 million) and Ivorian defender Ousmane Diomande (€45 million). Each of these players is valued at three to four times more than Kairat’s entire squad.
By comparison, Kairat’s squad is worth €12.54 million — 34 times less than Sporting. And tougher tests await, with Arsenal and Real Madrid next on the schedule.
Goalkeeper worries for both sides
Kairat faces a crisis between the posts after losing two goalkeepers in just six weeks. During the Kazakhstan Premier League clash against Aktobe, 21-year-old national team keeper was stretchered off after a collision. This leaves 18-year-old Sherkhan Kalmurza expected to guard the net in Lisbon.
Sporting also has injury concerns. Defender Nuno Santos, midfielder Daniel Bragança, and winger Geny Catamo are ruled out, while Japanese international Hidemasa Morita is doubtful. Starting goalkeeper Rui Silva also missed the team’s last game due to injury and may not be available.
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When and where to watch
From last season, Champions League group-stage matches are spread across Tuesday to Thursday.
Kairat will face Sporting in the early hours of Friday, September 19. The match will be broadcast live on Qazaqstan TV, with coverage starting September 18 at 23:50 Almaty time. The Kazakh side has already landed in Lisbon ahead of the historic clash.
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