Kris Boyd was left laughing nervously after Lyon’s second goal against Rangers, but by full-time, he had managed to turn their 4-1 defeat into a familiar dig at Celtic.
Rangers were thoroughly outclassed by the French Ligue 1 side at Ibrox, with Malick Fofana and Alexandre Lacazette both scoring twice in what turned into a comfortable win for the visitors.
Tom Lawrence’s strike briefly levelled the score after Lacazette’s opener, but Lyon’s firepower was simply too much for Rangers to handle.
The attacking trio of Fofana, Lacazette, and Rayan Cherki caused the Scottish side endless problems throughout the match.
In the Sky Sports studio, Boyd quickly became the centre of attention, as he often does.
Known for his cheeky Celtic jibes, Boyd couldn’t resist comparing the defeat to the time Celtic were humbled 7-1 by Borussia Dortmund.
Meanwhile, Ally McCoist offered a more serious critique, observing that the “standards” at Ibrox had slipped, while Derek McInnes analysed where it all went wrong for Rangers on the night. Here’s what the three pundits had to say.
Kris Boyd:
After Lyon’s second goal, the camera cut to Boyd in the Sky Sports studio. Laughing nervously, Boyd quipped: “You don’t need to come back to me if you don’t want to!” before going on to describe the goal.
At full-time, Boyd gave credit to Hearts for their European performance but couldn’t resist taking a dig at Celtic. He remarked:
“Cerny had an opportunity before Lyon scored right at the start to put Rangers up, but missed it from inside the six-yard box. From that moment on, it was all Lyon. The front three absolutely ripped Rangers apart this evening.
“To be honest, it was four, but it could have been a lot more. Lyon were outstanding. But this week? You have to give Hearts credit, the team from the capital, the only Scottish side to get a victory in Europe.
“Fantastic performance. But it’s hard to believe Rangers have lost 4-1 tonight, and it’s still not the worst result for a Scottish club in Europe this week.” The cheeky remark sparked groans and boos from the studio, who knew it was coming.
Ally McCoist:
Commentating during the second half for TNT Sports, McCoist reflected on the decline in Rangers’ fortunes since the days of Giovanni van Bronckhorst when the team could hold their own against Europe’s elite.
He remarked: “There’s been a decline in the standards, definitely. Three or four years ago, they could compete with these teams. So you have to ask, what’s gone wrong?”
At full-time, he continued: “Rangers were beaten comfortably by brilliance. Lacazette and Fofana were part of a trio that, I have to say, I really enjoyed watching. Fofana on the left, Lacazette through the middle, Cherki on the right. They had an absolutely beautiful balance. Rangers just couldn’t cope with it.”
Derek McInnes:
Kilmarnock manager Derek McInnes offered his take, noting that Rangers started well but quickly lost control.
He said: “Rangers got off to a really good start. Cerny missed a stick-on at the back post that he’ll be disappointed with. But once Lyon’s front three got going, Rangers found it tough.
“The fourth goal really knocked the wind out of them, and from then on it was about seeing out the minutes. Clement made a few changes, probably with Sunday in mind, knowing the game was beyond them. The quality Lyon had in forward areas made the difference.”
In the end, it was a tough night for Rangers as Lyon’s superior quality in attack left them chasing shadows. Boyd may have found humour in the defeat, but it was a night of serious reflection for McCoist and McInnes, as questions linger over where Rangers go from here.