Rangers v RomaImage source, PA Media

At a glance

  • Rangers suffer fourth consecutive Europa League defeat

  • Soule & Pellegrini score in first half for Roma

  • Ibrox side bottom of Europa League table

Rangers were handed yet another harsh Europa League lesson as an accomplished Roma side administered their fourth consecutive defeat in this season's competition, and a record seventh European loss in a row.

Danny Rohl's side were booed off at half-time with a two-goal deficit which could easily have been greater had it not been for goalkeeper Jack Butland and some narrow misses from the Italians.

A fabulous second goal 10 minutes from the break effectively ended the match as a contest, when Lorenzo Pellegrini beautifully stroked home after a lovely, patient Roma move.

This was after he had delivered a wicked early corner, which was flicked in the direction of impressive Argentine striker Matias Soule to nod into an unguarded net and put the Serie A side ahead.

With Rangers two down, memories of the Champions League qualifying battering from Club Brugge here in mid-August were coming to mind.

The Ibrox side had struggled to work goalkeeper Mile Svilar, although his defenders did protect him from a couple of decent opportunities created by the trickery of Djeidi Gassama.

The Serbian keeper did see some action after the break as Rangers improved markedly and pressed further up the pitch.

However, they couldn't find a clinical edge, with big-money summer signing Youssef Chermiti spurning a couple of chances and substitutes Danilo and Bojan Miovski unable to make any real impact.

Defeat leaves Rangers rooted to the bottom of the Europa League table with a mountain to climb in the competition if they have any hope whatsoever of reaching the knockout stages.

For Roma, this was a comfortable evening's work. They will wonder how they didn't score more, especially when Zeki Celik managed to hit the crossbar from virtually the goal-line with Butland stranded.

But they won't be overly worried as their second win in the competition moves them up to 18th in the table.

Analysis: Roma streets ahead; Rangers with much to learn

Graphic

There was a big gulf between these two pretty much from kick-off.

Roma were more comfortable in possession, had better technical players and a fluidity which enabled them to dominate the ball and maximise the spaces they made Rangers give up.

It's no accident they're sitting just a point shy of Napoli at the top of Serie A. They oozed class and composure - and did so with a couple of key players missing.

They may well take some stopping in this competition under Gian Piero Gasperini, who lifted the cup with fellow Italian side Atalanta last year.

Rangers, under new head coach Rohl, won't be judged on this result. But what the German cannot afford, this early in his tenure, is for these difficult European defeats to suck the life out of his attempts to resurrect their domestic challenge.

He has watched his men ship three goals in Bergen and two in Glasgow in consecutive Europa League matches. His side still have to face Ferencvaros and Porto away, with Ludogorets and Braga, next, due at Ibrox.

Still to register their first point in this season's competition, their European aspirations may have to play second fiddle to more pressing Premiership matters.

What they said

Media caption,

'Is this a bigger job than you first thought?'

Rangers head coach Danny Rohl: "I wouldn't say we didn't have the belief [tonight]. I had the feeling at the end of the game that the fans recognised we played against a strong team."

The German was then asked if this is a bigger job than he expected. "No. At the moment, we see where we are and where we want to go."

Rohl says he sees "a team willing to turn things around".

"I'm totally convinced we'll go in the right direction, but we need to work hard."

Match stats

  • Rangers have lost 10 European games in 2025, only the fourth time a team has ever done so in one year. One of the other three was the Ibrox side in 2022 (10) - the others are Sheriff Tiraspol in 2023 and Qarabag in 2024.

  • Rangers have kept a clean sheet in just five of their 23 matches this season - their lowest percentage (22%) of games with a shutout in a season since 1957-58 (11 in 54, 20%).

  • Rohl has become the first permanent Rangers boss to lose as many as three of his first five games in charge (W2).

  • Rangers have conceded the opening goal in five consecutive major European matches for the first time since doing so between September 1962 and October 1963.

  • James Tavernier made his 61st Europa League appearance for Rangers, equalling the record for a single club (2009-10 onwards). He draws level with Andreas Ulmer's 61 games for RB Salzburg.

What's next?

It's back to domestic for Rangers on Sunday, ahead of the upcoming international break. They travel to take on Dundee (15:00 GMT).

They return to Europa League action against Sporting Braga at Ibrox on 27 November (20:00).

Player of the match

Number: 99 M. Svilar
Average rating 7.33
Number: 1 J. Butland
Average Rating: 5.94
Number: 8 C. Barron
Average Rating: 4.88
Number: 5 J. Souttar
Average Rating: 4.66
Number: 47 M. Moore
Average Rating: 4.65
Number: 23 D. Gassama
Average Rating: 4.38
Number: 2 J. Tavernier
Average Rating: 4.19
Number: 3 M. Aarons
Average Rating: 4.13
Number: 43 N. Raskin
Average Rating: 4.07
Number: 10 M. Diomandé
Average Rating: 3.74
Number: 30 J. Meghoma
Average Rating: 3.62
Number: 52 F. Curtis
Average Rating: 3.57
Number: 24 N. Djiga
Average Rating: 3.55
Number: 11 T. Aasgaard
Average Rating: 3.52
Number: 28 B. Miovski
Average Rating: 3.34
Number: 99 Danilo
Average Rating: 3.24
Number: 9 Youssef Chermiti
Average Rating: 3.00

After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users.