Two key Rangers players on verge of Europa League bans - repercussions for Lyon tie

Rangers strikers Alfredo Morelos and Fashion Sakala will both be walking a suspension tightrope in Thursday’s crucial Europa League Group A clash with Sparta Prague at Ibrox.

Fashion Sakala (left) and Alfredo Morelos are both a booking away from suspension going into Rangers' penultimate Europa League Group A fixture against Sparta Prague on Thursday. (Photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images)

Morelos and Sakala are one caution away from a ban which would rule them out of the Scottish champions’ final fixture in the group away to Lyon on December 9.

New Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst will make his first team selection since being appointed Steven Gerrard’s successor as the Ibrox club look for the victory which could secure their place in the knockout phase of the Europa League for a fourth consecutive season.

Colombian international Morelos was booked in the matchday one 2-0 defeat at home to Lyon before collecting his second caution of the group stage in the 1-1 draw away to Brondby three weeks ago.

Sakala was booked in the 1-0 defeat away to Sparta Prague on matchday two and the Zambian international was also shown a yellow card against Brondby in Denmark.

Lyon, already confirmed as group winners, have German international Jerome Boateng one booking away from a ban which would rule him out of their meeting with Rangers. The French side travel to face Brondby on Thursday night.

Sparta Prague and Rangers are level on four points, with Brondby bottom of the group with two points.

Sparta’s Slovakian international winger Lukas Haraslin is also on the verge of a suspension. If he is booked at Ibrox on Thursday, he would miss the Czech club’s final group game at home to Brondby.

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