Rangers see stars after Alexandre Lacazette rocket as stellar show from wingers Cherki and Fofana shoot Lyon to 4-1 win
PHILIPPE CLEMENT insisted Lyon are in a different financial world.
Last night some of their football was from another planet.
Boss Pierre Sage spent £140 million on new talent this summer.
Here his star-studded side ripped Rangers to shreds.
Malick Fofana, Alexandre Lacazette and Rayan Cherki were a level above.
A trio of Ibrox tormentors who if they weren’t scoring, were assisting.
It finished four, it could so easily have been more.
Lyon were sharp and precise in almost everything they did.
At times, they played keep ball for fun.
But they were also utterly ruthless in front of goal on a sobering night for Gers.
After last week’s memorable win in Malmo, Rangers were back at Ibrox for the first of four home Europa League matches.
It was 17 years ago this week that Walter Smith’s class of 2007 were crowned Kings of Lyon thanks to a stunning 3-0 win in France.
This was the third time the two teams had met.
On the two previous occasions – in 2007 and 2021 – Rangers went on to reach the final of the Uefa Cup/Europa League.
Will that prove to be a good omen?
Despite their indifferent start to the season – the French giants are 11th in Ligue 1 – Lyon represented a significant step up in class.
Sage’s side are among the favourites to win the tournament having spent a whopping 150 million euros this summer.
Gers boss Clement can only dream of having such riches at his disposal.
While Sage was spending 23m euros on Nottingham Forest centre half Moussa Niakhate, the Belgian was scrambling around in the loan deals market.
Yet this is a competition in which the Ibrox side have punched considerably above their weight in recent years.
And back home for the first time in Europe this season, Clement insisted his side had nothing to fear.
He clearly hadn’t factored in the presence of Fofana and Lacazette.
At times during a remarkable first half, Rangers were masters of their own downfall.
On others they could only marvel at the skill, pace and power of the opposition.
Clement’s side actually began with purpose.
Inside the opening five minutes Robin Propper picked out Thomas Cerny with a brilliant diagonal ball.
He fed James Tavernier whose shot deflected back off Lawrence and into his path.
The Gers skipper got his shot away, but Lucas Perri produced a massive save with his feet.
Dessers and Cerny both dithered in front of goal before the latter then blew a glorious chance to fire Rangers in front.
Lawrence’s shot was parried into his path by Lyon keeper Perri.
But with the French goal gaping, Cerny blazed high over the bar.
He simply HAD to score.
A minute later and Gers were left counting the cost of that miss.
Lacazette forced Jack Butland into the initial save, but as soon as the brilliant Rayan Cherki robbed Bajrami of the ball, Rangers were back in trouble.
Cherki should have been stopped in his tracks, instead he was allowed to work his way across the box with the ball somehow squeezed into Fofana’s path.
He took it first time, curling a wonderful effort beyond Butland.
Four minutes later and Rangers were level.
Jefte did well down the left and after Cerny helped the ball back into the mix, Corentin Tolisso blundered badly.
His attempt at a headed back pass was way too short with Dessers reading the play.
He got there before Perri who managed to block the Nigerian’s effort only for Lawrence to slam home the rebound.
Then it was Gers’ turn to hit the self-destruct.
Just four minutes after drawing level, Connor Barron played a blind pass across midfield.
Fofana was on it in a flash, holding off John Souttar before rolling the ball into the path of Lacazette.
He finished well from close range.
Barron immediately held up his hands, acknowledging his mistake.
Gers then had Butland to thank as Fofana threatened to run riot.
Souttar had already been booked and couldn’t touch him as he came charging towards the Rangers goal again.
Cutting in on his right, he forced Butland into a fine save.
The Ibrox No.1 had no chance, however, when Lyon did add a third just before the break.
Fofana was again the architect, twisting and turning away from danger.
Darting inside, he picked out Lacazette who still had plenty to do.
But the former Arsenal star took one look up before smashing a stunning shot past the helpless Butland.
Rangers had a mountain to climb in the second half.
Things simply went from bad to worse when the action got back underway.
Cherki turned Barron inside out before crossing for Fofana who beat Tavernier to the ball.
It was a simple finish at the end of another quite brilliant passage of Lyon play.
The visitors came close to adding a fifth with 67 minutes gone.
Duke Caleta-Car’s header came crashing back off the bar with Gers sub Neraysho Kasanwirjo blocking on the line as Tolisso almost fired home the rebound.
Kieran Dowell – who’d replaced Lawrence at the break – forced Perri into a brilliant save.
At the other end, Butland was called into action to deny Cherki.
By now, the Rangers players were willing the final whistle.
After all, this one had been over as a contest for a long, long time.
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