Matías Soulé along with Lorenzo Pellegrini on target as Roma overpower Glasgow Rangers

Roma displayed impressive effectiveness in the way the Italian side handled this trip to Glasgow. Without much drama. Roma from Italy’s capital did, nonetheless, face manageable rivals when placing their European competition bid back on track. There was a glaring gulf in quality between Roma and a the Scottish team squad that has now suffered defeat in a team record seven European games in a row.

To their credit, the home side at least fought hard during a second half when capitulation felt the probable outcome. However, the game was settled as a contest by then. Rangers remain rooted to the bottom of the tournament, which should represent an disgrace to a team of such stature. Roma have eyes again on achieving significant success. One slight disappointment here was in not delivering a result appropriately depicting men against boys.

Surprisingly, this marked only Roma’s second-ever European joust with a team from Scotland since the historic Fairs Cup business with Hibernian in the early 60s. Their last such match, against Dundee United over two decades later, became marred (to put it politely) by the bribing of a match official. In those days, teams from Scotland could vie with the top sides in Europe. The current campaign has seen the co-efficient plunge to a point that will soon have major consequences.

The new manager’s main quality so far as the Rangers support are concerned is that he is not his predecessor. The latter’s dismal tenure as the manager lasted 123 days in the initial phase of the campaign. The German coach, the recent appointment at the helm, has shown promise albeit within a tiny sample size. The technical areas saw a clash of generations; the Rangers boss is 36, his counterpart Gian Piero Gasperini is sixty-seven.

A further factor was much more noticeable as the sides took the field. The home team’s glaring lack of height against the Italians looked worrying. That concern was proven within 13 minutes as the Roma midfielder easily redirected a set-piece at the near post. At the back, Matías Soulé burst forward to fire his team ahead. A Roma team minus the unavailable Evan Ferguson and Paulo Dybala, who have been questioned for lack of cutting edge despite decent results in this campaign, were delighted with their early advantage.

Rangers could have equalised immediately. Instead, Youssef Chermiti sent his effort off target after a mix-up in the Roma defence. The player’s £8m signing from Everton has increased scrutiny of the club’s recruitment team. Chermiti possesses at least the physique to be an productive striker but seems unwilling or unable to utilize them fully.

Roma controlled opening period the ball from that point. Roma doubled their lead through their captain, whose curling shot into the far post of Jack Butland’s net came after a lay off from the Ukrainian forward. Rangers will lament the fact Pellegrini stood in blissful isolation but it was a gorgeous strike. Ibrox, typically a boisterous place on European nights, had been quietened nine minutes before the break. The discontent which greeted the interval were subdued; the home team were clearly in the process of being outclassed.

After the break started against a unusual backdrop. Supporters turned their attentions for the latest time towards the top executive, Patrick Stewart, and sporting director, Kevin Thelwell. A pair of displays, clearly menacing in tone, showed the pair with bullseyes on their images. It raises questions what the Rangers chairman thinks about the situation. Ultimately, the chairman enjoyed an anonymous career as a wealthy entrepreneur in the US before fronting a acquisition of this club. Fans have not turned on Cavenagh yet but there is a mutinous feeling in the air. This is unsurprising; The team’s leadership is completely unimpressive.

Right on cue, the striker was sent through on the keeper on the 60-minute mark and hit the side netting. This actually triggered Rangers’ finest spell of the match, in which their substitute Thelo Aasgaard fired just wide. Yet, nonetheless, hard to gauge Roma’s remaining offensive intent until the full-back was presented with a opportunity all of a yard out which he somehow lifted and onto the bottom of the crossbar.

That was it as far as clear-cut opportunity were involved. The raft of changes from both teams resulted in this fixture closed more in the fashion of a pre-season friendly than serious contest. That scenario benefited Roma perfectly. There was cause to ponder how exactly Rangers, runners-up in this tournament in 2022 and strong enough of the last eight a season ago, arrived at the point of just participating.