🔗 Share this article

Roma displayed admirable efficiency about the way Roma handled this journey to Scotland. Minimum of fuss. Roma from Rome did, however, face manageable rivals when placing their European competition bid on the right path. There was a obvious difference in class between the Serie A outfit and a Rangers squad that has now lost a team record seven European games consecutively.

To their credit, Rangers at least huffed and puffed during a later period when capitulation felt the more likely outcome. However, the game was decided as a competition at that stage. Rangers remain rooted to the bottom of the tournament, which should represent an disgrace to a club of this standing. Roma have ambitions once more on achieving significant success. Their only regret in this match was in not producing a scoreline that truly reflected men against boys.

Amazingly, this marked only Roma’s second-ever European joust with Scottish opposition since the historic Fairs Cup business with Hibernian in the early 60s. Their last such match, against the Terrors 23 years later, became marred (to put it politely) by the bribing of a referee. In those days, Scottish clubs could vie with the top sides in Europe. This season has seen the co-efficient drop to a point that will soon have huge consequences.

The new manager’s main quality up to now as the fanbase are concerned is that he isn’t his predecessor. The latter’s ghastly tenure as the head coach lasted 123 days in the initial phase of the campaign. The German coach, the recent appointment at the helm, has shown promise though within a limited timeframe. The dugouts saw a clash of generations; the Rangers boss is thirty-six, his opposite number the Roma manager is 67.

Another element was much more noticeable as the teams took the field. The home team’s obvious short stature against the Italians looked ominous. That concern was proven within 13 minutes as the Roma midfielder easily flicked on a corner at the front post. At the back, Matías Soulé burst forward to fire Roma ahead. The visitors minus the unavailable their young striker and their star attacker, who have been criticised for bluntness despite decent performances in this campaign, were delighted with their quick lead.

Rangers should have equalised immediately. Rather, the forward screwed his shot wide after a defensive error in the visitors’ backline. The player’s eight-million-pound purchase from the Toffees has piled pressure on the Rangers transfer hierarchy. Chermiti possesses at least the physical attributes to be an productive centre forward but seems unwilling or unable to utilize them fully.

The Italian outfit controlled opening period the ball from that point. They doubled their lead through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose curling shot into the bottom corner of Jack Butland’s net arrived after a pass from the Ukrainian forward. The hosts will lament the fact the midfielder stood in complete freedom but it was a gorgeous strike. Ibrox, typically a raucous venue on European nights, had been silenced with time still remaining before the break. Even the boos which met the half-time whistle were timid; Rangers were simply in the process of being overwhelmed.

The second period started against a curious backdrop. Those Rangers fans directed their focus for the latest time towards the top executive, Patrick Stewart, and sporting director, Kevin Thelwell. Two banners, clearly menacing in tone, showed the pair with targets on their images. It raises questions what the Rangers chairman makes of the situation. Ultimately, Andrew Cavenagh had an low-profile life as a wealthy entrepreneur in the United States before leading a acquisition of this club. Fans have not targeted the owner yet but there is a rebellious feeling around the club. It is one which is unsurprising; Rangers’ management is completely unimpressive.

As if scripted, the striker was played in on goal on the hour mark and hit the side netting. This actually triggered Rangers’ best period of the match, in which their substitute Thelo Aasgaard fired just wide. Yet, however, difficult to determine Roma’s continued attacking motivation until the full-back was given a chance from close range which he inexplicably hit up and on to the bottom of the crossbar.

That opportunity as far as meaningful opportunity were involved. The raft of substitutions from both teams meant this game closed more in the fashion of a pre-season friendly than serious contest. That scenario benefited Roma perfectly. There was cause to ponder how on earth Rangers, finalists in this competition in recently and worthy of the last eight a last year, arrived at the stage of making up the numbers.