Rangers welcome Lyon to Ibrox in a blockbuster start to their Group A campaign in 2021-22 UEFA Europa League.
Victory could send either team top as long as they better Brondby’s result against Sparta Prague elsewhere.
Team News
Connor Goldson could return for Rangers after missing last weekend’s win over St Johnstone following the need to self-isolate due to Coronavirus protocols.
Filip Helander (knee) is ruled out alongside Ryan Jack (calf) and Nnamdi Ofoborh (personal).
Lyon will be without former Celtic striker, Moussa Dembele due to a muscle injury.
Xherdan Shaqiri (personal) hasn’t travelled with the Ligue 1 team whilst Lucas Paqueta, Bruno Guimaraes and Tino Kadewere are available, having been granted exemptions by Scottish Government after travelling to red-list countries this month on international duty.
Stat Attack
- Rangers have won just one of two previous meetings against Lyon (W1, L1), with both teams winning 3-0 away at each other’s home ground in Group E of 2007-08 Champions League.
- Lyon won their only previous trip to Ibrox 3-0 in December 2007 to snatch the last qualification spot for the knockout stage after both teams teams entered that match locked on seven points apiece.
- Both of Rangers’ two home goals in UEFA competitions this season has been scored by Alfredo Morelos.
- Lyon have lost three of their last five away matches in all UEFA competitions (W2, L3).
- Rangers are unbeaten in their last nine home matches in Group Stage of Europa League (W5, D4).
Prediction
Having built consistent Group Stage form in the last three seasons, Rangers will certainly be no pushovers but they’ve hardly set the stage alight this season across all competitions with their performances which will be a worry for Steven Gerrard coming into this game.
Lyon however will pose their toughest test yet although the French club will be without a key player in Dembele, thereby hopefully giving Rangers some hope because I initially was going to predict a defeat but I now think that they might just scrape a point out of this.
Prediction: Rangers 1-1 Lyon
Result: Rangers 0-2 Lyon