🔗 Share this article

Roma displayed admirable efficiency about the way the Italian side dealt with this journey to Scotland. Without much drama. Roma from Italy’s capital did, nonetheless, meet favourable opposition when placing their European competition bid on the right path. Observers noted a glaring gulf in quality between Roma and a the Scottish team side that has now lost a team record seven continental matches in a row.

Positively, Rangers at least huffed and puffed during a later period when surrender felt the more likely outcome. However, the match was decided as a competition by then. The Scottish club remain rooted to the bottom of the tournament, which should constitute an embarrassment to a team of this standing. Roma have ambitions again on making proper impact. Their only regret in this match was in not delivering a scoreline appropriately depicting the mismatch in quality.

Surprisingly, this marked only Roma’s second-ever continental encounter with a team from Scotland since the historic Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibs in the early 60s. Their last such match, against Dundee United 23 years later, became marred (to put it mildly) by the bribing of a match official. In those days, teams from Scotland could compete with the best in Europe. This season has seen the co-efficient drop to a level that will shortly have huge ramifications.

The new manager’s key attribute up to now as the Rangers support are concerned is that he isn’t his predecessor. Martin’s ghastly spell as the manager lasted just over four months in the initial phase of this season. Röhl, the recent appointment at the helm, has displayed potential albeit within a limited timeframe. The dugouts witnessed a clash of generations; Röhl is 36, his counterpart the Roma manager is sixty-seven.

A further factor was much more noticeable as the sides lined up. The home team’s obvious lack of height against the visitors looked worrying. That concern was confirmed within the opening quarter-hour as the Roma midfielder easily redirected a set-piece at the near post. Following up, Matías Soulé burst forward to knock Roma ahead. The visitors without the unavailable Evan Ferguson and their star attacker, who have been questioned for bluntness despite decent performances in this campaign, were delighted with their quick lead.

The Ibrox side could have equalised immediately. Instead, the forward screwed his shot wide after a mix-up in the visitors’ backline. Chermiti’s £8m purchase from Everton has piled pressure on the club’s recruitment team. Chermiti possesses at least the physical attributes to be an effective centre forward but appears unwilling or unable to use them.

Roma controlled first-half the ball from that point. They doubled their lead through their captain, whose bent effort into the far post of Jack Butland’s net came after a lay off from the Ukrainian forward. Rangers will bemoan the fact the midfielder stood in complete freedom but it was a gorgeous strike. Ibrox, typically a boisterous venue on European nights, had been quietened with time still remaining before the break. Even the boos which greeted the interval were subdued; the home team were clearly in the process of being outclassed.

After the break began against a curious atmosphere. Supporters turned their attentions for the latest time towards the top executive, Patrick Stewart, and sporting director, Kevin Thelwell. A pair of displays, clearly sinister in tone, depicted the duo with targets on their faces. It raises questions what the Rangers chairman makes of all this. After all, the chairman enjoyed an anonymous life as a successful businessman in the US before leading a acquisition of Rangers. Paying punters have not turned on the owner so far but there is a mutinous mood in the air. This is unsurprising; The team’s leadership is wholly unimpressive.

Right on cue, Chermiti was sent through on the keeper on the 60-minute mark and hit the outside of the goal. This actually triggered the home side’s finest spell of the game, in which their replacement the young midfielder fired just wide. Yet, however, hard to gauge Roma’s continued offensive intent until Zeki Celik was given a opportunity all of a yard out which he inexplicably lifted and on to the bottom of the bar.

That was it as far as meaningful opportunity were involved. The series of substitutions from both teams meant this game closed more in the fashion of a pre-season friendly than competitive match. This of course suited the Italians fine. It prompted reflection to consider how exactly the Glasgow club, finalists in this competition in 2022 and worthy of the last eight a season ago, arrived at the point of making up the numbers.