Ahead of Rangers’ final Europa League Group A clash against Lyon, Giovanni van Bronckhorst has confirmed a significant injury blow.
Rangers’ initial Twitter updates from Wednesday’s press conference may have overlooked the comment from the manager, but he did confirm that defender Leon Balogun would miss the match.
“Leon Balogun cannot travel tomorrow,” said GvB before asserting that the rest of the squad still needed to be assessed.
Balogun hasn’t featured under the new boss yet, as he was forced off in the closing stages of the League Cup semi-final defeat to Hibernian, but he was due to return to training on Sunday.
With Filip Helander not yet fit again after knee surgery, Calvin Bassey has been deputising well alongside Connor Goldson in Balogun’s absence, but the 21-year-old isn’t a natural centre-back and he could be exposed by Lyon’s quality forwards.
GvB doesn’t have the option to bring Jack Simpson in from the cold for a start either, as the Englishman didn’t make the Europa League group stage squad selected by the previous regime.
Of course, there isn’t much of note to play for in this game other than UEFA prize money and Gio’s 100% record as manager, but Balogun’s continued absence does hurt Rangers’ chances of pulling off an upset on French soil.
It’s also a concern ahead of a big trip to Tynecastle to take on Hearts in the Premiership on Sunday.
It’s unlikely that Balogun would be asked to start against the Jambos after several weeks out of action, so Bassey could continue as a makeshift centre-back for at least two more matches.
Lyon are also set to be understrength on Thursday, though, as Peter Bosz has confirmed a double injury blow.
