There is nothing riding on the tie with Lyon already through as winners, while Rangers have second place sewn up.

Lyon will be staging its traditional Festival of Lights and Rangers say they understand this will "test the policing resource and city infrastructure".

Notification came via the French minister of the interior, while the disappointed Scottish champions have "made representations" to Uefa, the host club and "the French authorities".

A Rangers statement describes the local authority as "intransigent and initially unwilling to engage".

It goes on to say: "Only late last week they agreed that we could have 2,200 supporters admitted. The decision to reverse this is bemusing, and extremely frustrating, given the short notice. It beggars belief that three days after that decision was taken and three days before the match is due to be played, it is our supporters who are now going to be left out of pocket by this decision by the French interior minister.

"We empathise with the feeling of supporters, who have made travel plans months in advance. Furthermore, we were allocated tickets several weeks ago, which adds further confusion to the most recent decision."

Rangers will face one of eight teams dropping out of the Champions League over two legs in February for a place in the last 16.