Soulé along with Lorenzo Pellegrini find the net as Roma dominate Glasgow Rangers

Roma displayed impressive effectiveness in the way Roma handled this journey to Scotland. Without much drama. Roma from Rome did, however, meet favourable opposition when placing their European competition bid on the right path. Observers noted a glaring gulf in quality between Roma and a Rangers squad that has now lost a club record seven European games in a row.

Positively, Rangers at least fought hard during a later period when surrender felt the more likely outcome. Yet, the game was decided as a competition by then. The Scottish club remain rooted to the bottom of the tournament, which should represent an disgrace to a club of such stature. The Giallorossi have eyes again on achieving significant success. One slight disappointment in this match was in not producing a result appropriately depicting men against boys.

Amazingly, this marked only Roma’s second European joust with Scottish opposition since the historic Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibernian in the early 60s. Their last such match, against Dundee United over two decades later, became overshadowed (to put it politely) by the bribing of a referee. Back then, teams from Scotland could compete with the best in Europe. This season has seen the UEFA coefficient drop to a point that will shortly have huge consequences.

Danny Röhl’s key attribute up to now as the Rangers support are see it is that he isn’t Russell Martin. The latter’s ghastly spell as the manager continued for just over four months in the initial phase of this season. Röhl, the recent appointment at the helm, has shown promise though within a tiny sample size. The dugouts saw a generation game; Röhl is thirty-six, his opposite number the Roma manager is sixty-seven.

A further factor was much more noticeable as the teams took the field. The home team’s obvious short stature against the Italians looked worrying. That concern was proven within 13 minutes as Bryan Cristante comfortably flicked on a set-piece at the near post. At the back, the Argentine winger 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 lack of cutting edge even with decent performances in the tournament, were delighted with their quick lead.

The Ibrox side should have equalised instantly. Instead, Youssef Chermiti screwed his shot wide after a defensive error in the visitors’ backline. The player’s £8m signing from Everton has piled pressure on the club’s recruitment team. He has at least the physique to be an productive centre forward but appears unwilling or unable to utilize them fully.

Roma controlled first-half the ball thereafter. They extended their advantage through their captain, whose curling shot into the far post of the goalkeeper’s net came after a lay off from Artem Dovbyk. The hosts will bemoan the fact Pellegrini was left in blissful isolation but it was a gorgeous finish. Ibrox, typically a boisterous place on European nights, had been quietened with time still remaining before the break. Even the boos which met the half-time whistle were timid; the home team were clearly in the midst of being overwhelmed.

The second period began against a curious backdrop. Those Rangers fans directed their focus for the latest time towards the top executive, the CEO, and sporting director, the director. A pair of displays, clearly menacing in message, depicted the pair with bullseyes on their faces. It raises questions what the club owner thinks about the situation. After all, the chairman enjoyed an anonymous life as a successful businessman in the US before fronting a acquisition of Rangers. Fans have not turned on the owner so far but there is a rebellious feeling in the air. It is one which is unsurprising; The team’s management is completely unimpressive.

Right on cue, Chermiti was sent through on the keeper on the hour mark and found only the outside of the goal. That moment sparked Rangers’ finest spell of the game, in which their replacement Thelo Aasgaard fired just wide. It was, nonetheless, difficult to determine Roma’s continued offensive intent until Zeki Celik 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 clear-cut chances were involved. The raft of changes from each side meant this game closed more in the style of a pre-season friendly than competitive match. This of course suited the Italians perfectly. It prompted reflection to consider how exactly the Glasgow club, finalists in this tournament in recently and worthy of the last eight a last year, reached the stage of just participating.