Malick Fofana and Alexandre Lacazette each scored twice as Lyon outclassed Rangers 4-1 in the Europa League at Ibrox on Thursday.

Former Arsenal striker Lacazette scored twice before the break after Tom Lawrence had earlier cancelled out Fofana's opener in Glasgow, with the latter also netting again in the second half.

Vaclav Cerny was punished for woefully blazing over the bar when Fofana bent home on the rebound from the hugely impressive Rayan Cherki's shot after 10 minutes.

Lawrence quickly prodded home the equaliser when Cyriel Dessers was denied, but an awful error from Connor Barron led to Fofana laying on a simple finish for Lacazette.

The Frenchman then made it 3-1 with a whipped 25-yard stunner before the break and Fofana poked home Cherki's low cross at the back post to add more gloss shortly after the restart.

Duje Caleta-Car saw a header thunder off the crossbar and Corentin Tolisso had a shot cleared off the line, while substitute Said Benrahma was also denied as Lyon pushed to really emphasise their dominance of proceedings.

Data Debrief: Lyon forwards tormentors in chief

Rangers, who won impressively at Malmo on MD1, just had no answer for the dynamism of a Lyon side who are now two from two and second in the table.

Lacazette was playing his 50th game in the Europa League and scored his 23rd and 24th goals in the competition. Only Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (34) and Aritz Aduriz (26) have scored more since his first appearance in September 2012.

Cherki set up both of Fofana's goals in an excellent display and has six goal involvements in only five Europa League starts (three goals, three assists), while Fofana scored and assisted in the same game for the first time for Lyon.

Rangers have a night to forget and this represented only the first time in the Europa League/UEFA Cup they have conceded four goals at home, and only the third time overall.

Jordan Veretout has sealed a permanent switch from Marseille to fellow Ligue 1 side Lyon.

Veretout, who played 94 times for Marseille across a two-year stint, has signed a two-year contract for a reported €4million (£3.3m) fee. 

The deal for the 31-year-old could rise to around €7million (£5.9m), with a 25% sell-on clause for any future transfers.

Veretout made 46 appearances for Marseille in all competitions last term, registering 10 goal involvements (five goals and five assists), five of which came in the Europa League.

His 1018 successful passes was a total only bettered by Chancel Mbemba (1202) and Leonardo Balerdi (1399) in Ligue 1 last season, while he also won 22 of his 38 tackles.

The France midfielder has also made six appearances for his national side since his debut in 2021, and was part of Jose Mourinho's Roma side that won the Europa Conference League in the 2022-23 campaign. 

Veretout becomes Pierre Sage's 10th permanent signing at the club and could make his first appearance against Lens on September 15.

Lyon have confirmed the arrival of Wilfried Zaha on loan from Galatasaray for the 2024-25 Ligue 1 season. 

Zaha, who joined Galatasaray in 2023 from Crystal Palace, made 42 appearances in all competitions for the Turkish side, scoring 10 goals. 

Galatasaray have said that the French side will pay a temporary transfer fee of £2.52million for the services of the Ivory Coast international. 

However, the 31-year-old was limited to substitute outings for the latter stages of the campaign, starting two of Galatasaray's last 10 league games. 

Zaha's final appearance came in their Turkish Super Cup defeat to Besiktas in August, playing 15 minutes in a 5-0 defeat in Istanbul. 

He becomes Lyon's 12th signing of the transfer window as they aim to improve on their sixth place finish in Ligue 1 last campaign. 

Lyon are not required to sell players for €100million before the summer transfer window ends, the French club's owner John Textor said.

The club have endured a tough start to the season so far, failing to win either of their games without scoring a goal.

Their first home game of the season saw them lose 2-0 to Monaco, with Lyon only attempting one shot in that game, their lowest tally in a single Ligue 1 game since Opta began to collect this data (2006-07).

In their first match against Rennes, a 3-0 defeat, they registered 16 attempts, though only managed two on target compared to their opponents' eight. 

On Thursday, the French newspaper L'Equipe reported that Lyon had put the majority of their squad on the transfer market to raise €75m to balance their budget and meet financial sales targets, having spent around €134m since June, more than any other team in France. 

"We do not have sales targets, and we are not required to sell €100million of players as there may be other ways to bring in revenues to maintain financial sustainability," Textor told Reuters.

Textor is the majority stakeholder of Lyon through Eagle Football Group, a holding company listed in Paris. The French side was acquired by Eagle Football in 2022, which holds 87.7% of the share capital.

The group posted a yearly revenue of €368.3m in June, an increase of 78% from the previous year, helped by events and an uptick in player trading.

Textor also said that they expect to sell maybe two more players before the transfer window closes on Friday, acknowledging that it has been a slow window in that regard and that Lyon may have missed their normal budget in the off-season.

"That's certainly true, but that does not mean that we are required to hit that budget. If it's a slow transfer window, then we hold players until the next window. It's as simple as that," he added.

The American businessman, who partly owns Botafogo in Brazil, RVD Molenbeek in Belgium and Crystal Palace in England, indicated that there is always "flexibility in how to create cash flows".

"Every company in France has the same challenge. At the end of the year, negative equity has to be restored. It’s no different in football," he said. 

Rennes kick-started their Ligue 1 campaign in confident fashion with a 3-0 victory over Lyon at Roazhon Park.

The home side's early dominance was rewarded with a goal, albeit fortuitously when a Benjamin Bourigeaud free-kick deflected in off veteran Nemanja Matic.

They doubled the lead two minutes later as the lively Amine Gouiri capitalised on a wayward pass back from Lyon's new signing Moussa Niakhate before rounding Lucas Perri and slotting into an empty net.

Lyon dominated possession in the second half and looked to have found a way back into the match after Lorenz Assignon bundled over Malick Fofana in the penalty box, but Steve Mandanda superbly saved Georges Mikautadze's spot-kick.

Gouriri was a menace throughout, going close to a second when he struck the crossbar with a deft curling effort, and he helped Rennes add further gloss when he teed up Henrik Meister in injury time.

Mikel Arteta is confident new signing Riccardo Calafiori will improve Arsenal this season to end their 10-year wait for a Premier League title. 

Calafiori, who joined the Gunners from Bologna in a reported £42million move, made his Arsenal debut in their 2-0 win over Lyon at the Emirates on Sunday. 

The 22-year-old impressed on his first outing for his new club, replacing Oleksandr Zinchenko just after the hour mark for his first minutes since Euro 2024. 

Arsenal have improved defensively during Arteta's tenure, boasting the best record for goals conceded in the Premier League last season (29). 

And while Calafiori offers another solid option at the back for Arteta to call upon, the Spaniard is confident he will also improve his side going forward. 

"He brings a lot of versatility because he can play in two or three different positions and especially in attack, he can occupy different spaces because he’s a real defender," Arteta said.  

"When you see his presence, his physicality, how he goes to the duels, he’s unbelievable. Obviously, he’s done a lot last year and I think he’s a player that can improve us."

"We are managing them, it’s a lot of new things for him. It’s a big step up, but he’s so willing as you could see, for the 20 minutes that he played, he’s so energetic, so passionate, a really intelligent player. He’s going to give us a lot."

Both Takehiro Tomiyasu and Jurrien Timber were notable absentees from their Emirates Cup success, but Arteta is confident the pair are nearing a return to action. 

"It's fine," Arteta said on Timber. "He's been doing some individual work, that's clear now.

"So we expect him to be ready to train with the group in the next week, because he has no reaction. So quite positive.

"I think it will take weeks on that one unfortunately," Arteta added on Tomiyasu's fitness. "He's going to have to be patient and work through it because I think it's going to take a few weeks."

The Gunners kickstart their quest for the Premier League title next Saturday when they welcome Wolves, a side they have not lost to at the Emirates since 2020, to North London. 

William Saliba and Gabriel Magalhaes scored first-half goals to secure a 2-0 win for Arsenal over Lyon in the Emirates Cup on Sunday.

The defenders both punished Lyon from corners, while Bukayo Saka missed a glorious chance to make it a more emphatic win. 

Mikel Arteta's side showed their intent ahead of the new Premier League season, taking an early lead as Declan Rice's corner cleared everyone at the near post, leaving Saliba with an easy header in the middle.

Lyon were caught out in the same way just before the half-hour mark as Rice sent a corner deep this time, and Gabriel flicked a header into the gap left by Lucas Perri.

Saka should have made it 3-0 in the second half after peeling off the back of the defence to reach Oleksandr Zinchenko's cross, but he could only thump his header against the foot of the post.

David Raya was made to work for his clean sheet in the final 10 minutes when Ernest Nuamah raced in behind after Jorginho scuffed a clearance, but the keeper made himself big to send the effort looping wide.

Data Debrief: Arsenal show no mercy

Arsenal are likely to be fighting for the Premier League title once again this year, and they made a statement with their performance on Sunday.

Saliba and Gabriel were both on target from corners again, just as they were so many times last season, while Rice showed off his set-piece prowess by getting two assists.

Georges Mikautadze, who earned a share of the Golden Boot at Euro 2024, has returned to hometown club Lyon less than three weeks after being bought by Metz.

Mikautadze netted three times as Georgia reached the last 16 on their major tournament debut in Germany, only to lose 4-1 to eventual champions Spain.

That earned him a share of the Golden Boot alongside five other players; Cody Gakpo, Harry Kane, Dani Olmo, Jamal Musiala and Ivan Schranz.

He spent the second half of 2023-24 on loan at Metz from Ajax, scoring 13 times in 20 appearances but failing to prevent them from being relegated from Ligue 1.

Metz lost a relegation play-off to Saint-Etienne but still exercised a clause to sign Mikautadze permanently earlier this month.

However, it was still believed he could be sold on for a profit, and Lyon have now sealed a deal worth a reported €18.5million.

Mikautadze has signed a four-year deal with the club, whose youth teams he represented between 2008 and 2015, having been born in the city to Georgian parents.

"He was courted all over France and Europe, but Georges Mikautadze has always given his priority to Olympique Lyonnais," a club statement said.

"His attachment to the club and his great determination will be invaluable assets for the many challenges ahead."

Kylian Mbappe says he is leaving Paris Saint-Germain with his head held high but Luis Enrique does not expect to replace his star forward.

Mbappe announced this month he would leave the French capital at the end of the season after a seven-year stay during which he became their all-time top scorer, with 256 goals.

His last game for Luis Enrique's side came in Saturday's Coupe de France final at Lille's Stade Pierre-Mauroy, with first-half strikes from Ousmane Dembele and Fabian Ruiz securing a 2-1 win against Lyon.

"It was both difficult and enjoyable because it's a final, and in the end, we won. It's filled with joy," Mbappe told reporters.

"It's all good memories, many years, both at PSG and of course in this league. We leave with our heads held high, especially with a trophy, and we only keep the positives."

Mbappe has been heavily linked with a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid.

Asked why he had not announced his next club yet, the 25-year-old said: "Because I think that the best thing to do is to finish these goodbyes.

"I think all I wanted was to finish well with my club. There's a trophy. I think there's a time for everything.

"I'll announce my new club in due course. I think we're just a few days away, so there's no problem."

PSG head coach Luis Enrique says there will be no single replacement for Mbappe, placing the focus on the entire team.

"I have had the good fortune to coach Kylian this season, it has been a difficult one for him after seven years at his club and all that he has achieved, it is difficult to say goodbye," Enrique told a news conference.

"There is no substitute for Mbappe, we cannot replace him, we will do it through the team and four, five or six signings we can make.

"Kylian's replacement will be the team that, along with the fans and our ambition, will try to win everything in the following seasons."

Paris Saint-Germain have been crowned as Ligue 1 champions after Lyon overcame Monaco 3-2 on Sunday.

A 4-1 midweek win over Lorient ensured that one more victory would be enough for Luis Enrique's team to get over the line, but PSG failed to get the job done themselves when they faced relegation-threatened Le Havre on Saturday.

That game was the 700th match of the QSI era at PSG, and the club's 1,900th in France's top flight.

However, PSG's wait to win their third straight title did not last long, as less than 24 hours later, Lyon – who will face the Parisians in the final of the Coupe de France at the end of May – came out on top in a topsy turvy encounter with second-placed Monaco.

Substitute Malick Fofana was the matchwinner for Lyon, and ultimately the player who handed the title to PSG.

Wissam Ben Yedder had put Monaco ahead in the opening minute, but quickfire goals from Alexandre Lacazette and Said Benrahma turned the match on its head before half-time.

Ben Yedder netted his second to restore parity on the hour mark, and thought he had sealed his hat-trick when he volleyed in from a free-kick, only to have strayed offside.

With only a win good enough for Monaco to stay in the fight, the visitors were then caught out in the 84th minute, with Fofana racing onto Lacazette's throughball and finishing calmly.

After a dismal start to the season, relegation looked a real possibility for Lyon, but they are now, with three games remaining, still in with a shout of qualifying for Europe.

PSG on the other hand now have 12 Ligue 1 titles to their name, with 10 of those coming under QSI's ownership. Aside from the COVID-impacted 2019-20 season, five of their last six league titles have been secured before the start of May.

It also means Luis Enrique remains in the running for a treble in his first season at the club, with PSG taking on Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League semi-finals next week.

Heavyweight clubs including Manchester City, Liverpool, Napoli and Milan are reportedly closely monitoring the exciting Celta Vigo midfielder Gabri Veiga due to his affordable release clause.

Veiga, 20, is enjoying the best season of his young career, with the skilful central midfielder forcing his way into manager Carlos Carvahal's best XI.

Playing mostly as an attacking midfielder, Veiga has racked up nine goals in 26 LaLiga appearances, earning his first call-up to the Spain Under-21 team along the way.

His play in one of the top leagues in the world has caught the eye of midfielder-hungry Champions League sides, with his release clause providing a more affordable alternative to some of the other top central midfielders on the market in the upcoming transfer window.

TOP STORY – PREMIER LEAGUE AND SERIE A GIANTS CLAMOUR FOR VEIGA

Veiga is said to have a €40million (£35m) release clause, which Galician newspaper Atlantico says has caught the attention of Manchester United, City, Liverpool, Tottenham, Newcastle United, Napoli and Milan.

The report states Celta Vigo are prepared for a big club to come and activate that clause in the off-season, and they will not budge or negotiate a lower figure.

The emergence of Veiga provides another option for clubs who have been closely following Brighton and Hove Albion 21-year-old Moises Caicedo, who is believed to be valued around £80m, or £100m-plus teenager Jude Bellingham of Borussia Dortmund.

ROUND-UP

– The Guardian is reporting Liverpool, Chelsea and United are the leading candidates in the chase for 24-year-old Brighton and Argentina standout Alexis Mac Allister, with Puroboca.com quoting the player's father, Carlos, as saying: "It is most likely that Alexis will already be playing in another team next July."

– According to Foot Mercato, Nice are hoping to receive a €60m (£53m) fee in return for 22-year-old midfielder Khephren Thuram, with Paris Saint-Germain, Dortmund, Liverpool and City all said to be circling the France international.

– Roma are reportedly in advanced talks with 24-year-old Lyon midfielder Houssem Aouar ahead of his contract expiring in a few months, although they will face competition from Real Betis and Eintracht Frankfurt, per Fabrizio Romano.

– 90min is reporting Chelsea are confident they will be able to sign 24-year-old Mason Mount to a new long-term contract.

– According to CBS Sports, Al Nassr are targeting either Zinedine Zidane or Jose Mourinho as their future manager after the club where Cristiano Ronaldo plays fired Rudi Garcia.

Nantes secured their place in the Coupe de France final for a second successive season after Ludovic Blas' sensational second-half strike secured a deserved 1-0 win against Lyon. 

The holders sit 14th in Ligue 1 but have enjoyed another inspired cup run, with Wednesday's upset of Lyon now gifting them the opportunity to win back-to-back crowns.

Jean-Charles Castelletto almost gave Nantes the perfect start but his first-minute effort was saved expertly by Anthony Lopes.

The home side thought they had gone ahead when Samuel Moutoussamy capitalised on a Lyon defensive mistake, but his effort was ruled out for offside after a VAR check. 

Antoine Kombouare's side would finally make their advantage pay in the second half, however, as Blas fired home a marvellous left-footed effort into the top corner to secure another famous win in front of a frenzied home crowd. 

The defending champions will now play either Toulouse or second-tier Annecy in the final on April 29.

Paris Saint-Germain are struggling to come to terms with again failing to win the Champions League, according to former coach Laurent Blanc.

Blanc led Lyon to a 1-0 win at PSG on Sunday, potentially breathing life into the Ligue 1 title race.

PSG looked to have the championship all but wrapped up before back-to-back defeats, with this latest reverse following another home loss against Rennes before the international break.

The gap to second-placed Lens and third-placed Marseille is now just six points; Lens are the next visitors to the Parc des Princes.

But Blanc does not believe this slump is anything new, identifying a long-standing problem at a club where he was coach between 2013 and 2016.

PSG exited the Champions League to Bayern Munich last month, meaning their wait to win that trophy will go on, and the Lyon boss suggests their subsequent form is linked.

"I know a bit about the place, the club, et cetera," Blanc said. "The problem with Paris is that when the number one goal and the goal that interests you and all the fans is no longer achievable, it seems that the season no longer exists.

"At all levels, at all levels, that's the way it is. That's how it is, you feel it, you perceive it.

"The Champions League goes on and everything is fine. The Champions League unfortunately stops, and then it's all over. The season is over and we talk about the next season. We talk, we anticipate everything.

"It's very difficult to motivate ourselves and all the players for the objective of the league.

"I think that Christophe Galtier will succeed, but it's hard, it's hard, it's hard, because the environment is not easy either.

"That environment goes in all directions, it goes in all directions: the next season, the recruitment... You hear things, it's difficult to bear, because the season is not over and there are still nine games left.

"So, we have to be aware that the season is not over, that we have to motivate everyone. It's not easy, I tell you; it's not easy.

"But Christophe will succeed because the pride of the players also, at some point, takes over, because the players are also very, very down when they haven't achieved all their objectives.

"So, there is this period; they are in the middle of it. Paris is in the middle of this moment, which is a bit tricky. It will come back."

Blanc won the league three times as PSG coach, including two domestic trebles, before he was replaced by Unai Emery.

But Blanc dismissed a question about "personal revenge" following Lyon's win, saying: "I'll stop you, I'll stop you. That's the stuff of journalists, of the media.

"The image, I don't care about that, I don't care, I don't care. If you know how much I don't care about that, then it's incredible.

"There's nothing personal about a football team. If you want to have personal feelings, you have to play an individual sport. It's a collective feeling.

"I'm happy to have won at the Parc for my team, for myself, of course, but that's where it ends.

"I don't have any revenge. Revenge on who, on what, on how? I had a great time here in Paris. It ended sooner than I expected. And that's life, that's life.

"All coaches are subject to this. And that's it, you have to accept it. There's no revenge."

Paris Saint-Germain defender Danilo felt his side "did not respect" their opposition during Sunday's surprising 1-0 home loss to Lyon.

The hosts controlled the ball with 62.2 per cent of the total possession, but found themselves on the wrong end of the expected goals 1.61 to 1.13 after conceding quality chances in both halves.

PSG were lucky to go into half-time level after Alexandre Lacazette's 39th-minute penalty struck the woodwork, but their luck ran out 11 minutes after the break when Bradley Barcola finished off a cutback from 18-year-old right-back Sael Kumbedi.

The loss leaves the Ligue 1 leaders with only a six-point buffer over second-placed Lens and Marseille.

Danilo urged his squad to get some desperation back in their play.

"We did not respect [Lyon] and we did not give it our all," he told Canal+ Foot. "But when you don't give everything you have to give, even at home, it's difficult to win every game. 

"We have to get out of there, because our opponents [Lens and OM] are only six points away. We have to wake up, because the title is not assured at all. 

"We know that Ligue 1 is a very difficult championship and we have to get that title. We have to change a lot of things, and not just the state of mind."

Head coach Christophe Galtier was disappointed to see his team "resign" at the first sign of adversity.

"We got off to a good start in the first 20 minutes," he said. "We were then taken on the transitions – I see that we are quickly resigned. 

"We had the ability to overturn matches and this evening, we quickly resigned ourselves. We lacked character, personality. There is disappointment, but there can also be cold anger. We lacked the investment.

"It's the eighth defeat in 2023. It's far too many. Match after match, we burn our jokers. Am I resigned? No – I will fight until the end. 

"There may be fatigue after the break, but we have to react in the next game. We must have the reaction of a champion. 

"I dare to hope that our players are not jaded on the titles – we must have a reaction of pride."

Paris Saint-Germain suffered their second home defeat in a row as Lyon won 1-0 at the Parc des Princes to breathe life into Ligue 1's title race.

Christophe Galtier's men lost 2-0 at home to Rennes before the international break and were disappointing again as they succumbed to back-to-back league defeats for the first time since September 2020.

The story of the first half revolved around two penalties: one that was struck against the post by Alexandre Lacazette, and one that was not given in favour of PSG for an apparent handball.

Yet, Lyon were unperturbed by Lacazette's miss, sealing only a second league win at PSG since 2007 thanks to Bradley Barcola.

PSG should have established a fourth-minute lead, but Vitinha inexplicably chipped over from close range after being found by Kylian Mbappe's disguised pass.

Mbappe was similarly wasteful a few moments later, prodding across goal following a wonderful one-two with Lionel Messi.

PSG were fortunate to not concede in the 39th minute, however – Lacazette hitting the post from the spot after being bundled over by Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Lyon arguably got lucky as well on the stroke of half-time as Dejan Lovren escaped punishment for handling in the area.

They made the most of that let-off early in the second half.

Sael Kumbedi passed across the six-yard box and Barcola – a first-half substitute – converted past Donnarumma, who desperately overcommitted by diving to his near post.

Barcola nearly got a second when forcing a fine Donnarumma save just past the hour, but it mattered little as PSG failed to rescue a draw, with boos heard from the stands on the final whistle.