🔗 Share this article

There was impressive effectiveness about the way Roma handled this trip to Glasgow. Without much drama. The team from Rome did, however, meet favourable opposition when putting their Europa League bid back on track. There was a obvious difference in class between the Serie A outfit and a the Scottish team squad that has now lost a club record seven European games in a row.

Positively, the home side at least fought hard during a second half when surrender felt the probable outcome. Yet, the game was decided as a contest by then. Rangers remain rooted to the bottom of the Europa League, which should constitute an embarrassment to a team of this standing. Roma have eyes again on achieving significant success. Their only regret here was in not producing a scoreline appropriately depicting the mismatch in quality.

Amazingly, this marked only the Roman club’s second continental encounter with a team from Scotland since the historic Fairs Cup business with Hibernian in 1961. Their last such match, against the Terrors over two decades later, became marred (to put it politely) by the bribing of a match official. Back then, Scottish clubs could vie with the best in the continent. The current campaign has seen the co-efficient plunge to a point that will shortly have huge consequences.

Danny Röhl’s key attribute up to now as the fanbase are see it is that he is not Russell Martin. Martin’s ghastly spell as the head coach continued for just over four months in the early part of this season. The German coach, the new man at the helm, has displayed potential though within a tiny sample size. The dugouts saw a clash of generations; Röhl is 36, his opposite number the Roma manager is 67.

Another element was far more striking as the teams lined up. The home team’s obvious short stature against the Italians looked ominous. This point was proven within 13 minutes as the Roma midfielder easily redirected a set-piece at the near post. At the back, the Argentine winger burst forward to fire Roma ahead. A Roma team minus the unavailable Evan Ferguson and their star attacker, who have been questioned for lack of cutting edge despite reasonable performances in this campaign, were delighted with their quick lead.

The Ibrox side should have equalised instantly. Rather, the forward screwed his shot wide after a mix-up in the Roma defence. The player’s eight-million-pound signing from the Toffees has increased scrutiny of the club’s recruitment team. He has at least the physical attributes to be an effective centre forward but seems unwilling or unable to use them.

Roma controlled opening period the ball thereafter. Roma extended their advantage through their captain, whose curling shot into the bottom corner of Jack Butland’s net arrived after a lay off from Artem Dovbyk. Rangers will bemoan the fact Pellegrini was left in blissful isolation but it was a gorgeous finish. The stadium, typically a raucous venue on continental evenings, had been quietened with time still remaining before the break. Even the boos which met the half-time whistle were subdued; the home team were simply in the process of being overwhelmed.

The second period began against a unusual backdrop. Those Rangers fans turned their attentions once again towards the top executive, Patrick Stewart, and sporting director, Kevin Thelwell. Two banners, clearly sinister in message, showed the pair with bullseyes on their images. It raises questions what the Rangers chairman thinks about all this. Ultimately, the chairman had an anonymous life as a wealthy entrepreneur in the US before fronting a acquisition of Rangers. Paying punters have not turned on the owner so far but there is a rebellious feeling around the club. This is easy to understand; Rangers’ management is completely unimpressive.

Right on cue, the striker was sent through on goal on the 60-minute mark and found only the outside of the goal. This actually triggered Rangers’ best period of the game, in which their substitute Thelo Aasgaard shot narrowly past the post. Yet, nonetheless, hard to determine the visitors’ remaining offensive intent until Zeki Celik was given a opportunity all of a yard out which he inexplicably hit up and on to the bottom of the crossbar.

That opportunity as far as clear-cut opportunity were involved. The series of substitutions from each side meant this game closed more in the fashion of a pre-season friendly than serious contest. That scenario benefited the Italians perfectly. There was cause to ponder how exactly the Glasgow club, finalists in this tournament in recently and worthy of the last eight a season ago, arrived at the point of making up the numbers.