Rangers player ratings vs Lyon: 'Woeful' Tavernier gets 3/10 + trio of dismal 4s on bruising Euro night

Rangers slumped to a heavy 4-1 defeat on a bruising night at home to big-spending Lyon on matchday two of the Europa League.

Ibrox Stadium was packed to the rafters as European Thursday nights returned to Govan. After an impressive victory on their travels against Malmo to kick-start their campaign on a winning note last week, Philippe Clement’s men were always going to be in for much sterner test from the French giants.

The Ligue 1 side, who spent a reported £120 million in the summer amid rumoured cash problems - the highest spend of any club in France, arrived in Glasgow unbeaten in their last seven away games in the competition, winning six of them.

And the lethal visitors were rarely troubled by a slack Gers side who simply failed to cope with Lyon’s lightening attacking trio of Rayan Cherki, Malick Fofana and experienced skipper Alexandre Lacazette.

This was a night to forget for Clement’s men as they failed to back up their performance in Sweden. On this viewing, Lyon were a level above their hosts. When they did pose a threat, the Gers found visiting keeper Lucas Perri in inspired form.

Rising star Malick Fofana fired Lyon ahead after just 10 minutes to silence the home crowd when he found the bottom right-hand corner of the net.

Lyon - a club looking to reclaim their identity after a somewhat barren trophyless spell in France - had conceded 12 goals in seven games this season and their defensive fragility reared it’s head once again as a mistake from Corentin Tolisso led to Rangers quickfire equaliser. Cyriel Dessers was alert to pounce on a tame header from the midfielder and managed to force a save from the keeper who could only parry the ball out to Lawrence who buried the rebound.

However, Rangers were finding it difficult to contain their high-calibre and experience European opponents. They shot themselves in the foot on the stroke of half-time when Connor Barron’s slack back pass was intercepted by Fofana and the 19-year-old teed up former Arsenal striker Lacazette to calmly slot home.

Lacazette’s second - his 30th Europa League goal - was a stunner as he left Jack Butland stranded with a 25-yard rocket which sailed into the top corner to give the visitors some breathing room.

Rangers had been brutally punished for some individual errors and it was hard to argue that fast-flowing Lyon didn’t deserve their two-goal cushion. The hosts needed to score the next goal to keep themselves in the tie, but they rarely threatened in attack.

As breathtaking as they were going forward, Lyon were far from convincing at the back. But Clement’s side were unable to come up with the answers and Lyon killed off the tie with wonderkid Cherki bamboozled Barron in the box before laying the ball on a plate for Fofana to tap home at the back post.

It could easily have been five when centre-back Duje Caleta-Car’s header struck the bar before Tolisson’s follow-up was cleared off the line by substitute Neryasho Kasanwirjo.

Here is how GlasgowWorld rated the Rangers players in their second Europa League fixture.