Futsal Champions League semi-finals: Kairat-Cartagena, Sporting ...

Kairat Almaty play Cartagena Costa Cálida and Sporting CP meet holders Illes Balears Palma in the 2024/25 UEFA Futsal Champions League semi-finals on Friday 2 May at Antarès in Le Mans, with the final and third-place play-off two days later.

We look at the two semi-final ties, which were set by the draw on 22 February.

Kairat Almaty vs Cartagena Costa Cálida

• Kairat, champions in 2013 and 2015, are aiming to become the first non-Spanish side to win three titles.
• This will be Kairat's fifth semi-final against Spanish opposition. They lost to Inter FS in 2009 and 2017, and against Barça in 2021, although Kairat had beaten the latter in both 2010 and 2013. Kairat also defeated Barça in the 2015 final – their only three wins against clubs from Spain in 13 overall competition meetings.
• Kairat, who have made the elite round in all 18 seasons under this format and got past it nine times, have played a record 109 matches in this competition from an unmatched 21 entries.
• Only Edson, Birzhan Orazov, Narun Serikov and Dauren Tursagulov remain from the team that lost their last semi-final to Barça in 2021.
• Kairat were the only team to qualify from the elite round with a game to spare.
• Spaniard Marlon Velasco became Kairat coach in 2023. The previous season Velasco's Noia side lost twice to Duda's Cartagena in their debut Spanish top-flight season.
• Cartegena are hoping to emulate Playas de Castellón in the inaugural 2002 finals, Sinara Ekaterinburg in 2008, Città di Montesilvano in 2011, Barça in 2012, Ugra Yugorsk in 2016 and Palma in 2023 by winning in their debut European season.
• Cartagena coach Duda was previously in charge of Murcia FS, leading them to the 2008 final before his side lost on penalties to Ekaterinburg.
• Cartagena qualified with victory in the Spanish league play-off final against Murcia. That ended a streak in which Barça, Inter or Murcia had won the title every year since Castellón's last triumph in 2001.
• Tomaz Braga was part of the Palma team that won this title on debut in 2023, moving to Cartagena that summer. Darío Gil (Murcia in 2020) and Waltinho (Sporting in 2022) are past runners-up, while Souheil Mouhoudine played in the 2022 finals for ACCS, losing to Waltinho's Sporting.
• Caio Ruiz of Kairat was a Sporting team-mate of Waltinho in 2021/22.
• Mouhoudine joined Cartagena last summer from Etoile Lavalloise, the host club of these finals.

Past UEFA competition meetings:None

Cartegena (ESP)Top scorer: Pablo Ramirez 5Previous best: First entry

Kairat Almaty (KAZ)Top scorers: Alisson, Kevin Arrieta, Edson 4 Previous best: Winners (2013, 2015) 2023/24: Elite roundSemi-final record: W3 L7

Sporting CP vs Illes Balears Palma

• Palma beat Sporting in the 2023 final to win the trophy on debut as hosts. Mario Rivillos gave Palma the lead and although Zicky equalised to force the game to extra time, Sporting lost 5-3 on penalties after the game had remained at 1-1. Palma retained the title last season in Yerevan, when Sporting finished fourth.
• Palma also beat Sporting 5-4 to win a pre-season tournament they hosted in October.
• Sporting, winners in 2019 and 2021, have reached the finals for a record 12th time. If they win their semi-final, they will be through to the decider for the eighth time, equalling Inter's record.
• João Matos, who has made a record 89 competition appearances, is set for his 11th final tournament with Sporting CP.
• During the main round, two-time champions Sporting CP became only the second team to pass 100 matches in this competition after Kairat. Sporting CP already had the most wins (now 75) and goals (now 464).
• In January, Sporting re-signed Vinícius Rocha, who was part of their winning teams in 2018/19 and 2020/21, following an injury to pivot Allan Guilherme, as well as the experienced Bruno Rafael.
• João Matos, Gonçalo and Alex Merlim were also part of both previous Sporting triumphs. Twins Bernardo Paçó and Tomás Paçó, Pauleta, Zicky and Taynan were involved in the 2021 final triumph.
• Nuno Dias is set for his tenth final tournament as Sporting coach and, like Palma's Antonio Vadillo, is aiming for a record-equalling third personal triumph in charge. No coach has yet led the same club to three titles, which both Dias and Vadillo could do.
• In their third European season, Palma are aiming to become the first club to win the trophy three years in a row. Inaugural winners Castellón (2002, 2003) and Inter FS (2017, 2018) currently share the record of two consecutive victories.
• Palma are now 22 UEFA futsal competition games unbeaten, one more than the previous record (not counting penalty shoot-outs) jointly held by Castellón, who never lost any of their 21 matches between 2001/02 and 2003/04 and have not qualified since, and Barça, a run ended by Palma in the 2024 final.
• Rivillos, a 2017 winner with Inter who helped Palma lift the trophy in 2023 and 2024, can equal the record of four personal triumphs currently shared by Gabriel, Sergio Lozano and Ortiz. Goalkeepers Luan Muller and Carlos Barrón are also aiming for a third straight triumph with Palma. Fabinho was a winner in 2023 but injured in 2024, when Ernesto missed the final suspended.
• Since qualifying for the finals, Palma have signed Brazilian pivot Charuto.

Past UEFA competition meetings:2022/23 final: Palma 1-1 Sporting CP (aet, Palma win 5-3 on penalties, Palma de Mallorca)

Sporting CP (POR)Top scorer: Taynan 6Previous best: Winners (2019, 2021) 2023/24: Fourth placeSemi-final record: W7 L4

Palma (ESP, holders)Top scorer: Fabinho 9 Previous best: Winners (2023, 2024)2023/24: Winners (W5-1 vs Barça)Semi-final record: W2 L0