KEVIN THOMSON is already preparing for the biggest game of his career next week as Rangers attempt to extend their Champions League campaign.

After their successful bid to enjoy the benefits of a free weekend in the build-up to their final group game against Lyon, Walter Smith's men have been freed of having to concentrate on facing Gretna on Sunday.

For Thomson, anything that can assist the Ibrox club reach the last 16 of the Champions League is worth a try.

The Rangers midfielder is under no illusions as to how big a task faces his team-mates a week tonight when they take on the French champions.

A fantastic start to their group campaign now means Rangers only require a point in the showdown to follow Barcelona into the knockout stage of the competition.

But with Lyon knowing a win will see them progress, Thomson realises it's going to be a game of massive proportions.

"The game will be a huge occasion, not just for the boys but for everybody else involved with the club too," he said.

"It is a massive tie and one we are looking forward to. We have the advantage that we don't need to win the game and a draw will be enough for us to qualify.

"We would have bitten your hand off at the start of the campaign if you had said that we would be in this situation going into our final game.

"If we were to progress to the last 16, it would be a magnificent achievement for a newly-built squad.

"But I think it is a dangerous situation we find ourselves in and we won't set up our stall to sit back and invite pressure from them.

"We would only make life difficult for ourselves by doing that and I'm sure the manager will have a few tricks up his sleeve.

"There is no reason why we can't go on to win the game rather than sit in, waste time and try to scrape through with a draw."

Rangers' best result of their Champions League campaign to date has got to be the 3-0 victory over Lyon in France.

Although managing a scoreless draw with Barcelona at Ibrox was an impressive feat, the win in Stade Gerland was arguably the pick of the bunch.

But Thomson added: "It's going to be difficult against Lyon. When we went over there, all the boys listened to what the manager told us and we stuck to our game plan.

"Everyone felt we got what we deserved on that occasion. It was fantastic to beat a quality side like that by three goals on their own patch. But this will be a different game altogether.

"They will obviously come to Ibrox and try to win the game because a draw will not be good enough for them.

"We slipped up in our last game against Stuttgart and now we will be under a wee bite of pressure, but as long as we stay focused, I'm sure we'll get the right result."

With Rangers already having booked some sort of involvement in European football beyond Christmas, they have performed better than many expected.

But Thomson is desperate to continue strutting his stuff in Europe's premier competition rather than move into the Uefa Cup by finishing third in the group.

He said: "The manager has been quoted as saying it is nice we are guaranteed European football after Christmas. But deep down, everybody at the club wants to get into the last 16 of the Champions League.

"The consolation of going into the Uefa Cup is minimal and we are all striving to stay in the biggest competition. That's all we are pressing for.

"The teams we have already played in the group stages have been fantastic and Barcelona are arguably one of the best sides in the world.

"But the likes of Chelsea and AC Milan will be there as well and it would be magnificent to be in the draw with them."