🔗 Share this article

There was impressive effectiveness about the way the Italian side handled this trip to Glasgow. Minimum of fuss. Roma from Italy’s capital did, nonetheless, meet favourable opposition when placing their European competition bid back on track. There was a obvious difference in class between the Serie A outfit and a Rangers squad that has now suffered defeat in a club record seven continental matches in a row.

To their credit, the home side at least fought hard during a later period when surrender felt the probable outcome. However, the match was decided as a competition at that stage. Rangers remain rooted to the bottom of the Europa League, which should represent an disgrace to a team of such stature. Roma have eyes again on achieving significant success. Their only regret in this match was in not delivering a result appropriately depicting men against boys.

Surprisingly, this marked only the Roman club’s second-ever European joust with Scottish opposition since Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibernian in the early 60s. Their last such match, against the Terrors over two decades later, became marred (to put it mildly) by the corruption of a referee. Back then, Scottish clubs could vie with the best in Europe. This season has seen the UEFA coefficient drop to a point that will soon have huge consequences.

Danny Röhl’s main quality up to now as the Rangers support are see it is that he is not his predecessor. The latter’s ghastly spell as the manager continued for just over four months in the early part of this season. Röhl, the recent appointment at the helm, has shown promise albeit within a limited timeframe. The dugouts witnessed a clash of generations; the Rangers boss is thirty-six, his counterpart the Roma manager is 67.

Another element was far more striking as the teams took the field. Rangers’ glaring lack of height against the visitors looked worrying. That concern was confirmed within 13 minutes as Bryan Cristante comfortably redirected a set-piece at the front post. At the back, Matías Soulé sprinted into space to fire his team in front. The visitors without the injured their young striker and their star attacker, who have been criticised for lack of cutting edge despite reasonable results in the tournament, were pleased with their quick lead.

Rangers could have equalised immediately. Rather, Youssef Chermiti screwed his shot wide after a defensive error in the Roma defence. Chermiti’s eight-million-pound signing from the Toffees has increased scrutiny of the club’s recruitment team. He has at least the physique to be an productive centre forward but appears unwilling or unable to utilize them fully.

Roma controlled first-half possession thereafter. Roma extended their advantage through their captain, whose curling shot into the bottom corner of Jack Butland’s net arrived after a pass from the Ukrainian forward. Rangers will lament the fact the midfielder was left in complete freedom but it was a gorgeous finish. Ibrox, usually a raucous venue on European nights, had been quietened nine minutes until halftime. Even the boos which met the interval were timid; the home team were simply in the process of being overwhelmed.

After the break began against a unusual atmosphere. Supporters directed their focus once again towards the club’s chief executive, the CEO, and sporting director, Kevin Thelwell. Two banners, obviously sinister in message, showed the pair with bullseyes on their images. One wonders what the club owner makes of all this. After all, the chairman enjoyed an low-profile career as a wealthy entrepreneur in the United States before fronting a acquisition of Rangers. Paying punters have not turned on the owner so far but there is a rebellious mood around the club. It is one which is easy to understand; Rangers’ management is wholly unconvincing.

As if scripted, Chermiti was played in on goal on the 60-minute mark and found only the outside of the goal. This actually triggered Rangers’ finest spell of the game, in which their replacement Thelo Aasgaard shot narrowly past the post. It was, nonetheless, difficult to gauge Roma’s continued offensive intent until Zeki Celik was presented with a opportunity all of a yard out which he inexplicably hit up and onto the underside of the bar.

That was it as far as clear-cut chances were concerned. The raft of changes from both teams meant this fixture closed more in the style of a pre-season friendly than competitive match. This of course suited Roma perfectly. There was cause to ponder how exactly the Glasgow club, runners-up in this tournament in 2022 and strong enough of the last eight a season ago, arrived at the point of just participating.