GIOVANNI VAN BRONCKHORST hopes Rangers will still be cheered on by a reduced travelling support when his side face Lyon.
The champions will round off their Group A campaign against the side that are already confirmed to finish ahead of them going into matchday six.
Van Bronckhorst guided Rangers into the knockout rounds with victory over Sparta Prague last month and he is now aiming for a fifth successive win since replacing Steven Gerrard at Ibrox.
But the task will be made more difficult in the Groupama Stadium after a farcical week that left Rangers supporters in limbo over their travel plans to France.
Rangers confirmed on Monday that – after discussions with police and local authorities – fans would not be permitted to head to Lyon in the following days.
But that advice was reversed just 24 hours later as the club and hundreds of supporters were left angry, bemused and out of pocket having already cancelled their flights and accommodation bookings.
Van Bronckhorst’s side could still have the backing of a small away crowd but the Dutchman has expressed his sympathy for the situation that has denied many their chance to see Rangers in Europa League action.
Van Bronckhorst said: “My first experience of the Rangers fans was back in ‘98 when we had the first game away against Shelbourne. The huge support we had, for me, was something different.
“I know how the fans are. They want to travel with the team and support us. It’s very important for us that we have our fans behind us every game.
“So I can imagine it’s not easy for the fans to be left in the dark the last couple of days, because you want to know what’s happening.
“One day they can travel, one day they have to stay, then the same day later on they can travel. It’s not easy.
“But I hugely respect their presence in the stadium, so hopefully the fans who wanted to go to Lyon can still go and give us the support we need and appreciate.”
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