Meet the Futsal Champions League finalists: Palma vs Kairat
Saturday, May 3, 2025
Article summary
Palma are aiming to become the first team to win three consecutive titles when they face two-time winners Kairat in Sunday's final in Le Mans.
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UEFA Futsal Champions League holders Palma are hoping to become the first team to win three consecutive titles when they face two-time champions Kairat Almaty at Antarès, Le Mans.
Finals schedule
Friday 2 May:
Semi-finals
Kairat Almaty 3-2 Cartagena Costa Cálida
Sporting CP 0-3 Palma
Sunday 4 May:
Cartagena Costa Calida vs Sporting CP (17:00)
Palma vs Kairat Almaty (20:00)
All times CET
Illes Balears Palma (ESP, holders)
Road to the finals
Main round Group 3 winners (played in Palma de Mallorca):
W9-1 vs MNK Dinamo, W4-0 vs United Galati, W5-1 vs Dobovec
Elite round Group D winners (played in Palma de Mallorca):
W4-1 vs Semey, W4-1 vs Lučenec, D3-3 vs Record Bielsko-Biała
Semi-finals:
W3-0 vs Sporting CP
Top scorer: Fabinho 9
Previous best: Winners (2023, 2024)
2023/24: Winners (W5-1 vs Barça)
Final record: W2 L0
In brief: In their third European season, Palma are aiming to become the first club to prevail three years in a row, while Antonio Vadillo, who has overseen both of those titles, can equal Jesús Velasco's record by lifting the trophy for a third time as a coach.
They are a record-extending 23 games unbeaten in the competition after scoring three second-half goals to knockout Sporting, including a superbly precise strike from distance by Mario Rivillos, who could equal the personal record of becoming a four-time final winner, with Palma accounting for two of his victories and Inter the other in 2017.
Previous final tournament appearances
2024: Winners (W5-1 vs Barça, Yerevan)
2023: Winners (W1-1aet, 5-3pens vs Sporting CP, Palma de Mallorca), hosts
Palma vs Kairat in the Champions League
29 October 2023: Palma 4-3 Kairat (main round, Palma de Mallorca, Spain)
22 October 2022: Kairat 2-2 Palma (main round, Roosdaal, Belgium)
Kairat Almaty (KAZ)
Road to the finals
Main round Group 4 winners (played in Almaty):
W4-0 vs Haladas, W5-1 vs Semey, W3-2 vs Sporting CP
Elite round Group B winners (played in Zagreb):
W4-2 vs Etoile Lavalloise, W1-0 vs MNK Olmissum, W5-1 vs MNK Dinamo
Semi-finals:
W3-2 vs Cartagena Costa Cálida
Top scorers: Alisson 6
Previous best: Winners (2013, 2015)
2023/24: Elite round
Final record: W2 L1
In brief: Participants in a record 110 matches in this competition, Kairat were the only team to qualify from the elite round with a game to spare and are aiming to become the first club from outside Spain to triumph three times.
Only Edson, Birzhan Orazov, Narun Serikov and Dauren Tursagulov remain from the team that lost to Barça in the semi-finals in 2021, but the prolific Alisson - who has scored more than 100 times since arriving in 2023 - notched twice as Marlon Velasco's crop held off two comebacks from debutants Cartagena in a gripping semi-final.
Final tournament appearances
2021: Semi-finalists (eight-team finals)
2019: Runners-up (L1-2 vs Sporting CP, Almaty), hosts
2017: Third place, hosts
2015: Winners (W2-1 vs Barça, Lisbon)
2014: Fourth place
2013: Winners (W4-3 vs FC Dynamo, Tbilisi)
2011: Third place, hosts
2009: Third place
2008: Fourth place
2006: Semi-finalists (no final tournament, two-legged semi-finals)
The final tournament had four teams from 2006/07 to 2019/20 and eight teams in 2001/02 and 2020/21. A two-legged final was played from 2002/03 to 2005/06, with two-legged semi-finals held in the last of those four seasons.
