Soulé along with Lorenzo Pellegrini on target as Roma overpower Rangers

Roma displayed admirable efficiency in the way Roma dealt with this journey to Scotland. Without much drama. The team from Italy’s capital did, nonetheless, face manageable rivals when putting their Europa League bid back on track. There was a glaring difference in class between the Serie A outfit and a Rangers squad that has now lost a club record seven continental matches consecutively.

To their credit, Rangers at least fought hard during a later period when capitulation felt the more likely option. However, the game was decided as a competition at that stage. The Scottish club remain anchored at the bottom of the tournament, which should constitute an disgrace to a club of this standing. The Giallorossi have eyes once more on achieving significant success. Their only regret in this match was in not producing a result that truly reflected the mismatch in quality.

Amazingly, this represented only the Roman club’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 the Terrors over two decades later, became marred (to put it politely) by the corruption of a referee. In those days, Scottish clubs could vie with the best in the continent. This season has seen the UEFA coefficient plunge to a point that will soon have huge consequences.

Danny Röhl’s key attribute up to now as the fanbase are see it is that he isn’t his predecessor. Martin’s ghastly tenure as the manager lasted 123 days in the early part of this season. The German coach, the new man at the helm, has shown promise albeit within a tiny sample size. The technical areas witnessed a clash of generations; Röhl is thirty-six, his counterpart Gian Piero Gasperini is 67.

Another element was far more striking as the sides lined up. The home team’s glaring lack of height against the Italians looked ominous. That concern was confirmed within the opening quarter-hour as the Roma midfielder easily redirected a set-piece at the front post. Following up, Matías Soulé sprinted into space to knock Roma in front. A Roma team minus the unavailable their young striker and their star attacker, who have been criticised for bluntness despite reasonable results in this campaign, were delighted with their quick lead.

The Ibrox side should have equalised immediately. Instead, the forward screwed his shot wide after a mix-up in the Roma defence. Chermiti’s eight-million-pound purchase from the Toffees has piled pressure on the club’s recruitment team. Chermiti possesses at least the physique to be an effective centre forward but seems reluctant or incapable to use them.

The Italian outfit controlled opening period possession thereafter. They extended their advantage through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose curling shot into the far post of the goalkeeper’s net arrived after a pass from Artem Dovbyk. The hosts will lament the fact the midfielder was left in blissful isolation but it was a superb strike. Ibrox, usually a raucous place on European nights, had been silenced with time still remaining until halftime. The discontent which greeted the interval were timid; Rangers were clearly in the process of being outclassed.

After the break began against a unusual backdrop. Supporters turned their attentions for the latest time towards the club’s chief executive, Patrick Stewart, and transfer chief, the director. A pair of displays, clearly menacing in message, showed the duo with targets on their faces. It raises questions what the club owner makes of all this. After all, the chairman enjoyed an low-profile life as a wealthy entrepreneur in the US before leading a acquisition of Rangers. Paying punters have not turned on Cavenagh yet but there is a rebellious feeling in the air. This is unsurprising; Rangers’ leadership is completely unconvincing.

Right on cue, Chermiti was played in on goal on the 60-minute mark and found only the outside of the goal. This actually triggered the home side’s finest spell of the match, in which their substitute the young midfielder fired just wide. Yet, however, hard to gauge the visitors’ remaining attacking motivation until the full-back was given a chance all of a yard out which he somehow lifted and onto the bottom of the bar.

That opportunity as far as meaningful chances were involved. The raft of changes from each side meant this game ended more in the style of a pre-season friendly than competitive match. That scenario benefited the Italians perfectly. There was cause to consider how exactly the Glasgow club, runners-up in this competition in 2022 and strong enough of the last eight a season ago, reached the stage of just participating.