The Emirates Stadium will expect a procession, but the UEFA Champions League rarely does gentle. On 28 January 2026, Arsenal welcome Kairat Almaty to north London in a clash that pits the competition’s form team against one of its strugglers. Top of the league-stage standings with a perfect record and 21 points, Arsenal are already marching towards the knockout rounds. Kairat, 36th and marooned on a single point, arrive knowing their campaign has been a brutal education at this level.
This is classic David vs Goliath territory. Arsenal’s form reads like a dream – “WWWWW” in the standings, seven wins from seven overall – while Kairat’s “LLLLD” tells the story of a side simply trying to stop the bleeding. Yet with the Champions League spotlight bright and unforgiving, the stakes remain sharp: for Arsenal, it’s about momentum, fear factor and statement-making; for Kairat, pride, experience and the chance to defy the script.
Form Guide & Season Trends
Arsenal’s season in Europe has bordered on perfection. Seven matches, seven wins, 20 goals scored and just 2 conceded underline why they sit first in the league-stage table. At the Emirates, they have been ruthless: three home games, three victories, a combined score of 9–1 and an average of three goals per match. The numbers paint a picture of a side that not only wins but dominates, with five clean sheets overall and not a single outing in which they have failed to score.
Defensively, Arsenal have been as close to watertight as it gets in this competition. Conceding only 0.3 goals per game, home and away, they have yet to experience genuine jeopardy across the 2025 Champions League season. Their biggest home win of 4–0 and biggest away success of 3–0 show a team equally comfortable dictating on their own turf and punishing opponents on the road. With a longest winning streak of seven and formations largely settled around 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1, there is a clear identity and rhythm to their football.
Kairat Almaty, by contrast, have been fighting uphill from the first whistle. Bottom-end form in the standings – six defeats and a solitary draw from seven – is backed up by a goal difference of -14. They have scored just five times while shipping 19, averaging under a goal per game (0.9 across all venues) and conceding 1.5 on average. Away from home, the challenge has been even harsher: three Champions League road games, three defeats, four goals scored and nine conceded.
There are, however, small glimmers of resilience. Across all competitions in this European season, Kairat have managed six clean sheets and four wins, though all of those victories have come at home. Their heaviest away defeat of 4–1 and a 0–5 home loss in this campaign underline the gulf they often face in quality. Coming to the Emirates, they know they are facing the most in-form attack and one of the meanest defences in the league stage.
Head-to-Head History
There is no recorded recent head-to-head data between Arsenal and Kairat Almaty in the provided information, which adds an intriguing layer of unfamiliarity to this showdown. For Arsenal, this is a chance to assert their authority over a new opponent on the European stage, while Kairat step into one of Europe’s most modern arenas without any historical baggage – or blueprint – to lean on.
The absence of prior meetings means both sides will be relying heavily on scouting and preparation rather than lived experience. For the visitors, the Emirates will be an imposing, perhaps overwhelming, environment; for the hosts, it is another opportunity to show they can impose their high-intensity, front-foot style against any opponent, regardless of background or reputation.
Team News & Key Men
Arsenal’s biggest challenge may not be Kairat, but their own absentee list. Several important names are unavailable. Declan Rice and Mikel Merino are both ruled out through suspension after accumulating yellow cards, depriving Arsenal of two major presences in central midfield. At the back, William Saliba and Jurrien Timber are listed as inactive, removing key options in the defensive line, while Riccardo Calafiori is a doubt with a muscle injury. That cluster of defensive and midfield absences could force rotation and test the depth of the squad, even against a struggling opponent.
Despite those setbacks, Arsenal still boast one of the competition’s most in-form forwards. Gabriel Martinelli has been electric in this Champions League campaign, scoring five times and adding an assist in just six appearances. His direct running, dribbling threat – 19 attempts with nine successful – and knack for arriving in decisive areas make him the natural focal point of Arsenal’s attack in this encounter. With 8 key passes and a strong duel output, he is more than just a finisher; he is a constant source of chaos for defenders.
Kairat Almaty also have their own issues to contend with. A cluster of players – including S. Askarov, J. Oksanen, D. Satpaev, Y. Tkachenko, Y. Trufanov and S. Zeballos – are listed as inactive, while A. Tuyakbaev misses out with a chest injury. While the data does not flag any of them as headline stars in this Champions League season, the sheer volume of absentees further stretches a squad already under pressure at this level. For a side that has struggled for goals and stability, losing options across the pitch only deepens the challenge.
The Verdict
All indicators point towards a one-sided evening in north London. Arsenal are in relentless form, scoring at almost three goals per game and conceding barely a fraction, while Kairat Almaty arrive with the worst kind of European record: porous at the back, blunt in attack, and winless in the league stage. Even with key Arsenal players missing, the depth and structure of the home side should be more than enough.
Expect Arsenal to dominate possession, press high and create chances in waves, with Gabriel Martinelli central to their attacking thrust. Kairat may find a moment or two on the break, but over 90 minutes, the hosts look overwhelmingly likely to extend their perfect Champions League run with another convincing win.
