UEFA Futsal Champions League final preview: Palma vs Kairat

Illes Balears Palma could become the first team to win three consecutive UEFA futsal club titles when they take on two-time champions Kairat Almaty on Sunday in the UEFA Futsal Champions League final in Le Mans.

The lowdown

Holders Palma, who went into these finals off the back of a rich vein of domestic form in Spain, meet perennials Kairat after both sides came through tough tests in the semi-finals on Friday. Palma made a second-half breakthrough against Sporting before scoring twice during the final two minutes to win 3-0, advancing after Kairat had also left it late to see off debutants Cartagena 3-2, leading by no more than a goal for all but 41 seconds of the contest.

Palma have won both editions of the competition since making their debut two seasons ago and, still yet to lose a European game, are aiming to become the first club to win three consecutive titles. That would eclipse the record they share with Castellón, who won the inaugural finals in 2002 and 2003, and Inter FS, who prevailed in 2017 and 2018. Both their previous meetings with Kairat have been in the main round and tight, Palma winning 4-3 as hosts of a mini tournament in 2023/24 and drawing 2-2 in Belgium in 2022/23.

History could also beckon for Kairat, who have won all seven matches in their campaign and would be the first competitors from outside Spain to triumph three times with victory. The Kazakhstan representatives have undergone much change in recent years with a new crop of players replacing heroes of their 2013 and 2015 wins like Higuita, the forward-running goalkeeper role now filled by semi-final scorer Dennis Cavalcanti.

Views from the camps

Antonio Vadillo, Palma coach: "There is no fatigue in a Futsal Champions League final, no matter how demanding the semi-finals were. It is a final and there is always more tension, but everything will be forgotten as soon as the ball starts rolling. It will be a very balanced game – demanding physically, mentally, tactically and technically.

"We will have to be at our best if we want to be champions again. At this level and in a game like this, every tiny detail will be important and potentially decisive. Our goal is not to make history by being the first club to win the competition three times: what we want is to win and lift the trophy. It would be like winning it for the first time."

Luan Muller, Palma goalkeeper: "It will be a very even match and we will have to be at our best. There is always a bit of nervousness before such an important match, but that disappears as soon as we step on the pitch. What always prevails is the motivation and the privilege of being able to play in yet another final of the best club competition in Europe.

"I will try to help my team-mates with the experience I have of having played and won the competition twice. There will not be much space to play and whoever is more focused will come out on top. All players dream of winning titles and I am no different, but first there is a final to play."

Velasco and Vadillo share a friendship and futsal philosophyUEFA via Getty Images

Marlon Velasco, Kairat coach: "We are in great form and we will try to seize the opportunity. We have gone four years without reaching the finals, six without playing in a final and only four of our players have experience of playing in a final four. After what happened in our semi-final, I believe we came out stronger. We have a positive mind-set and are confident.

"Antonio Vadillo is my friend and a role model as a player and as a coach. I like the way Palma play and I share his view of futsal. He is the best coach in the world at the moment. It is not easy to face my former club. It is tough mentally, but we are here to win. The start of the game will be very important. We will try to start well in order to increase our confidence levels."

Birzhan Orazov, Kairat captain: "We are not nervous about playing in the final because our players have a lot of experience of playing in major club and national-team competitions. We are very motivated to give it our all and win this trophy.

"It is very important for Kairat to be in the final and I think there has been a very important and positive change in the club by bringing in the Spanish futsal philosophy. Our coach has helped us a lot and the work he has done over the last two years is there for all to see. Now we just need to take the final step.”

Key stats

• Palma are the first team to reach the final in their first three campaigns and are unbeaten in all 23 games they have played in this competition, eclipsing the previous record by two matches.
• Vadillo can equal Jesús Velasco's record of winning the competition three times as a coach, but become the first to win it three times with the same club (Velasco won with Inter in 2017 and 2018 and Barça in 2022).
• Mario Rivillos and goalkeepers Luan Muller and Carlos Barrón all played in both of Palma's past wins. Rivillos was also in the Inter side that won in 2017 and was in Barça's squad in the early rounds of their 2019/20 triumph, but left before the delayed finals.
• That means Rivillos can equal the record of playing in four final wins, shared by Gabriel (Inter FS 2006, 2009; Barça 2012, 2014), Sergio Lozano (Barça 2012, 2014, 2020, 2022) and Ortiz (Inter FS 2009, 2017, 2018; Barça 2022).
• Neguinho, Jesús Gordillo, Bruno Gomes and Marcelo were part of Palma's side for last year’s final, when they beat Barça 5-1. Fabinho was a 2023 winner but was injured 12 months ago in Yerevan.
• A Spanish club has won the title for 13 of the last 23 editions.
• Kairat are in a record 21st competition campaign, with their tally of 110 matches unmatched. Sporting are the only other team to have played more than 100.
• Should Kairat win without the need for penalties, they will be the third team to go through a UEFA futsal club season with eight 'perfect' wins (not counting penalty shoot-outs). Barça (2021/22) and Inter FS (2017/18) previously achieved the feat.
• They have, however, previously had perfect campaigns over five games in 2013 and 2015.