Next up for Rangers is a Europa League clash with Lyon at Ibrox as the Gers look to build on a promising start in Sweden.
The Ibrox side put in what Philippe Clement describes as his new-look team’s ‘best performance of the season so far’ as they swatted Malmo aside in Scandinavia.
But Rangers will have to find another level altogether if they’re to overcome Ligue 1 outfit Lyon, who will expect a tough Europa League game at a packed Ibrox on Thursday night.
Ahead of the game, Rangers eked out a 1-0 victory over Hibs at Ibrox, whilst Lyon had to rely on a late, late show on the road to relieve the pressure of a challenging start to the season.
Stuttering Lyon leave it late in Ligue 1
Lyon have had an unconvincing start to the Ligue 1 season and heading into the weekend’s clash with Toulouse, had won only one game of the club’s opening five league fixtures.
With PSG, AS Monaco and Marseille the early French pacesetters, the pressure was on Lyon manager Pierre Sage to keep touch at the top of Ligue 1 as his side travelled to face Toulouse in southern France.
This is after the French side recorded an impressive 2-0 victory over Olympiakos in their opening Europa League fixture, a result which the club will hope kickstarts their season.
And so it might prove as Lyon produced a late show to overcome Toulouse having initially fallen behind on the Sunday afternoon Ligue 1 clash.
Ivory Coast winger Yann Gboho had given Toulouse a first-half lead before a Rasmus Nicolaisen own goal levelled proceedings heading into the interval.
But Lyon had to wait until the 5th minute of injury time at the end of the game to score what proved to be the winning goal of the game.
Teenage winger Malick Fofana fired a low shot over the line before it was blocked by a Toulouse defender, ensuring Lyon grabbed a vital three points and second league win of the season.
Rangers looking to make history in Europa League
Rangers’ Europa League draw is harder than some those got in the Champions League, according to Philippe Clement himself.
French side Lyon – against whom Rangers have a mixed record – represent amongst the biggest of those challenges on paper.
But it’s not been a good start to the season for rookie coach Pierre Sage, who is in his first full season at the club having initially been appointed interim coach in November last year.
Having now picked up two wins on the bounce, Lyon are building some momentum and will come to Ibrox will some confidence.
But Rangers will note the Ligue 1 club’s stuttering form as of late and hope to strike an early blow on Europa League duties.
Rangers have also never beaten Lyon at Ibrox, with a Karim Benzema double helping to dump the Gers 3-0 in 2007 on Champions League duties.
The Gers were also beaten 2-0 at Ibrox by Lyon in the Europa League in 2021.
Conversely, Rangers are unbeaten against Lyon on the road having famously defeated the French side 3-0 in the reverse fixtures in 2007.
Rangers also held Lyon to a 1-1 draw in 2021 on the club’s run to the Europa League Final.
