Rangers

Andy Campbell
BBC Sport Scotland

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Five games into his Rangers tenure, head coach Danny Rohl must surely now know just how big a task he faces to make his team successful.

Those matches have come in the space of 15 days, a frenetic schedule that has hardly been ideal for a new boss trying to get his ideas across, believes former Dundee United and Hearts manager Robbie Neilson.

He told the BBC's Scottish Football podcast: "The difficulty Rohl has got at the moment is he's not getting a lot of time to spend on the training pitch. From what I've heard, he's a fantastic coach and really good on the training pitch.

"They'll do a tiny bit of prep this afternoon, some tomorrow and then they need to perform on Sunday [against Dundee]."

That trip to Dens Park is probably more important to Rangers, given how their season is panning out.

Rohl was barely in the job two days when he took charge of the 3-0 loss away to Norwegian side Brann. That third defeat out of three made the possibility of progressing in the Europa League difficult and a fourth loss to Roma on Thursday made it extremely so.

In the Scottish Premiership, things have started to look up for Rangers with wins over Kilmarnock and Hibernian, reducing the gap on defending champions Celtic to five points.

Hearts are 11 clear of Rangers and if Rohl wants to lead his side in Europe next season, they simply must pick up points in the league.

That begs the question, is the Europa League an unwelcome distraction?

"When you have a European campaign, you don't get any time on the training pitch," said Neilson.

Still to come are meetings with Braga and Ferencvaros before Christmas and Ludogerets and Porto in January.

However, the November international break may come at just the right time for Rohl. After Sunday, Rangers are inactive until they host Livingston on 22 November.

Some players will be on international duty but the German will not have as much time on the training pitch with his squad again until March.

"At the moment, we see where we are and where we want to go," Rohl said after the 2-0 home loss to Roma.

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

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Mikey Moore says it's too early to "write off" Rangers' season and is adamant he has no regrets about his loan move from Tottenham.

Thursday night's 2-0 home loss to Roma leaves Rangers rock bottom of the Europa League standings with four defeats from four, while they trail Premiership leaders Hearts by 14 points and were beaten in the League Cup semis by Celtic.

But Moore feels things are moving in the right direction under new head coach Danny Rohl, and that it's far too early to call time on Rangers' campaign, either domestically or in Europe.

The 18-year-old forward said: "It's been difficult but you can still take things from those difficult moments. To say I regret it, it's still early in the season as a team as well.

"Personally, I've learned so much but as a team we can change things. We can start picking up points and building some momentum. That's what we need to do.

"That's what I'm here to do. I'll start trying to help the team and showing up with more goals and assists. I think in my play I've been a bit better but I need to start showing that in numbers as well.

"I knew there was going to be big pressure and that's why I chose it. I didn't come up here thinking it was going to be easy for me so, yeah, mentally, I'm prepared to go through what it is."

As for Rangers' Premiership chances, Moore is adamant there's plenty of time for the fourth-place Ibrox side to make up for their dreadful start.

"The thing is, if you start picking up points and building momentum, you can't write it off now," he said.

"We've got enough quality in the team and enough good players to start winning, and we just need to keep winning."

After getting sporadic game-time under previous manager Russell Martin, Moore has been more involved since Rohl took charge.

"Ever since he's come in he's put a lot of trust in me and I've had a good few chats with him. He's given me a confidence and a bit of freedom," Moore added.

"It's been positive [under Rohl]. I think we're showing good signs. The manager's come in and been positive with the group. But we know we need to win more games and we need to keep winning in the league.

"Obviously now in the Europa League, we need to start picking up points. We've got four games left and if we win all of them, we'll give ourselves a good chance to be in the qualifying spots."

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We asked for your views after Rangers were beaten 2-0 by Roma for a fourth consecutive defeat in this season's Europa League.

Here are some of your comments:

Craig: Lost to a much classier side who didn't get out of first gear. The regression of this football club over the past few seasons has been nothing short of staggering. Only three years ago we were in a European final. Now, not a single player in this current team would make that squad, let alone start. Recruitment has been abysmal. Kevin Thelwell and Patrick Stewart are completely out of their depth.

Graeme: Unfortunately Danny Rohl is currently handcuffed by poor recruitment. There are glaring weaknesses where capable players were sold and lesser ones brought in. Having said that, there wasn't much on show in terms of creativity or any kind of final third.

Steven: Once again, defensive frailties are our undoing. The defence is just nowhere near the required levels. Nasser Djiga and James Tavernier continue to defy belief in their combined inability to defend. Youssef Chermiti is an empty shirt - he's not just poor, he's hopeless. All of that said, our second-half performance was an improvement on the first but again we gave ourselves a mountain to climb.

Louise: Another poor performance in Europe. We all know the issues in domestic games but the cracks are really showing on the European stage. Rangers were in a European final not all that long ago but that seems a distant memory now - we are so far off the level we need to be and it seems we've spent millions to make our team worse. The best thing I saw all night was the Rangers fan tifo - if only that much effort was put in by the players on the pitch too.

Nigel: Disappointing result but there were signs of a good side under the new management. Need to consolidate and improve in the league from now on.

Calum: Seems to me some of my fellow Rangers fans don't want a manager but instead want a fairy godmother to grant their wish for instant success. We need to give vocal support to our team through these very thin times. I am not alone in seeing positive signs in the very early days of our new manager's term.

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Former Rangers player and manager Ally McCoist on TNT Sports

Forget one transfer window for Rangers, it might be three. It's a big job. A big, big job.

Former Rangers player Alan Hutton on TNT Sports

We're too used to seeing this now. For me, I look at Rangers at this moment in time and they are crying out for help. January is massive.

Former Scotland defender Robbie Neilson on the BBC's Scottish Football podcast

Rangers were kind of outclassed by Roma, which top end of the Serie A is to be expected, but I just felt they had a couple of gears to go.

This little period is difficult. I think getting through the game at the weekend, it gives them that international break.

I think the recruitment has been done. Danny Rohl has to make the best he can out of what they've got at the moment. And it's about getting to January in the best condition he can.

Former Rangers forward Rory Loy on the BBC's Scottish Football podcast

If Dundee can turn up [on Sunday], play their stuff on the big occasion like they have done when it's been on the telly before, then Rangers will be in for a game.

And it's not ideal for Rangers coming off the back of Thursday. I think Rangers will probably just have enough, but I would definitely have thought Celtic would have had enough.

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• Rangers have lost seven consecutive European games (including qualifiers) for the first time in their history. The Ibrox side have lost 10 European games in 2025, only the fourth time a team has ever done so in one year and one of the other three was Rangers in 2022 (10); the others are Sheriff Tiraspol in 2023 and Qarabag in 2024.

• Rangers have lost their past five games in the Europa League, their longest losing streak in the competition (since at least 2005/2006).

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

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

• 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.

• Rangers have failed to score in three of their four games, no team has failed to do so more often in the 2025-2026 Europa League.

• 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.

Former Rangers player and manager Ally McCoist fears it will take three transfer windows to fix the Ibrox side's problems. (TNT Sports on X), external

Ex-Rangers captain Barry Ferguson sympathises with Ibrox forward Youssef Chermiti and the weight of his summer price tag. (Record), external

Read Friday's Scottish gossip

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.

Read the match report here.

Have your say here.

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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 is 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."

Aberdeen picked up their first Conference League point of the season with a gritty goalless draw with AEK Larnaca in Cyprus.

Read the match report here.

Give us your thoughts here.

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Roma boss Gian Piero Gasperini believes Rangers have improved under new head coach Danny Rohl, and expects a "dynamic" Ibrox side in their Europa League fixture.

"As always, when you come to play on these pitches, the games are always very difficult," said Gasperini, who's side have suffered back-to-back defeats in the league phase following a win on matchday one.

"You find very busy, very hot environments, the team is very dynamic.

"Rangers have improved in the last two (league) games after the coach change, they were two excellent games.

"We expect a very demanding game in terms of athletics. We will have to be very good and do a good job.

"You always have to move things forward. You always have to conquer what is possible.

"Two home games force us to be very careful, because in the next five games you have to win at least three to reach the qualification."

Caleb Akpo-Young
BBC Sport Scotland

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Rangers' Europa League tie with Roma will be the 26th time they have faced Italian opposition in Europe.

Ibrox hosts the first-ever meeting of the sides with Rangers currently bottom of the Europa League and Roma in 23rd position.

Rangers' most recent clash with an Italian team came back in 2022, when they met Napoli during the Champions League group stage.

Napoli won 3-0 home and away, leaving Rangers' record to date at six wins, five draws and 14 defeats when facing an Italian team.

This means Italian sides have recorded the third-most victories over Rangers in Europe, behind Spanish teams (15) in second and German teams (20) in first.

However, there have been some memorable results for Rangers against Serie A opposition.

In 2008, the Ibrox club reached the Uefa Cup final by defeating Fiorentina on penalties following two goalless draws.

That victory earned a measure of revenge for the 1961 European Cup Winners' Cup final defeat to the same side, who won 4-1 over two legs to claim the trophy.

Eleven years on from that defeat, Rangers famously went on to win the competition. On the run to Cup Winners' Cup glory in 1972, they defeated Torino 2-1 on aggregate - with Willie Johnston's goal earning a decisive 1-0 second-leg win at Ibrox - in the last eight.

Rangers will be hoping to add another momentous result tonight to pick up their first points of the Europa League campaign.

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

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Mohamed Diomande believes improvements shown under new head coach Danny Rohl can revive Rangers' hopes of progress in the Europa League.

The Ibrox side, who reached the quarter-finals of the tournament last season, sit bottom of the table after three defeats.

Next up is a home tie with Roma, who are just three points better off but performing well domestically.

"We were all looking forward to playing well in Europe and giving our fans the belief that we can go far like we did last season," said Diomande.

"We've had two managers already and three games in Europe and that's not very good.

"With this manager we are trying to get a first European win. I hope it's going to be the first one for a good run because we have five more games, so we can maybe try and put the ourselves in a good spot to qualify."

Despite a dreadful start to the season under previous boss Russell Martin, Diomande now sees some shoots of recovery, with back-to-back Premiership wins followed by a well-contested Premier Sports Cup semi-final defeat to Celtic.

"We have a new manager and he wants to play attacking football. He wants us to be compact and I think that's mostly what has changed," he explained.

"Even when we were down a man against Celtic we were still trying to push, we were trying to give everything at 1-0 down, so I felt like everybody knew that they had to give 110% to maybe get something.

"We felt like we had nothing to lose. We had our chances also and it was just unfortunate it didn't happen but I felt like we gave everything."

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A January loan could be sanctioned for Rangers' summer signing Youssef Chermiti, with Braga one of three Portuguese sides interested and clubs from Turkey also monitoring any further developments. (Ibrox News), external

Rangers are advertising for a new director of football operations to work alongside the club's sporting director, Kevin Thelwell. (Glasgow Times)

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Danny Rohl is relishing his "great connection" with the Rangers board and says the support from above is in stark contrast to his Sheffield Wednesday tenure.

The German cited a "lack of dialogue" for leaving the crisis-hit Owls - where he had a strained relationship with owner Dejphon Chansiri - in July after two years in charge.

Rangers' US-based chairman Andrew Cavenagh stood in the rain at the club's training centre on Wednesday morning watching the players prepare for the Europa League clash with Roma on Thursday night and head coach Rohl, 36, is enjoying the support.

"So far, we have a great connection and relationship," he said.

"We always talk after games and this is good. I must say, I missed this type of relationship for the last two years.

"All in all, all the people around me are trying to support me and they help me in different parts of this job. It allows me to focus on the aspects that are my responsibility.

"In my last job it was a different environment. At that time, it was just the owner and me.

"From recruitment, to match prep, to looking for pre-season camps, these were things I had to look at by myself.

"There were a lot of good people at the club, people who are still at the club. But now I have more people around me and this is important."

Kheredine Idessane
BBC Sport Scotland Senior Reporter

Danny Rohl has been speaking to the media before Rangers host Roma in the Europa League on Thursday night.

Here are the key lines from the Ibrox boss:

• Rohl says it's "difficult to understand" why Celtic defender Auston Trusty was not sent off for kicking Rangers keeper Jack Butland in the head during the League Cup semi-final on Sunday.

• He adds: "For me it doesn't matter if it's from the side or the front, a kick against the head is always dangerous because you could injure your opponent. It's a little bit more difficult with handball as there's so many rules with handball - is it this angle, is it that angle? But the tackle was difficult to understand."

• The head coach says it's good to have people at the club fighting for Rangers' best interests, and he backs the statement expressing the ongoing dissatisfaction with the standard of refereeing in Scottish football.

• Rohl is not feeling sorry for himself, however, effectively saying there's no point crying over spilt milk. Hampden is history, Rangers lost and – despite being happy with the way his side played with 10 men – the Ibrox boss says there's "no point being too positive about a defeat".

• Rohl is seeing progression in his side: more fight, resilience and more of "the basics" in full view. He feels that once this solid platform has been fully set, the side can build and bring better results. He sees "lots of potential" and "players growing up".

• He accepts Rangers have to start winning now in the Europa League if they've to have any chance of progressing. They've lost their opening three matches although just one on Rohl's watch, away to Brann. With two home matches this month against Roma and Braga, the German accepts results have to come quickly.

• Rohl is expecting a very tough, tight game against a Roma side who're doing well in Serie A - a point off leaders Napoli - but are neither scoring nor conceding a lot of goals. He noted a lot of their matches have been decided by a single goal and is warning his players to be up for the fight from kick-off.

Alasdair Lamont
BBC Sport Scotland Commentator

Rangers need to dust themselves down from the League Cup semi final disappointment against Celtic and prepare for another tough-looking Europa League fixture against Roma on Thursday.

Having defended solidly in last Wednesday's win over Hibernian, a nervousness seemed to return at Hampden, with hesitancy and disorganisation contributing to a poor start.

Danny Rohl can be relatively pleased with the reaction to going down to 10 men, after which Rangers' performance actually improved, but the defeat stalled the modicum of momentum that had come from two successive victories.

Now the German has to try to rescue a European campaign that has been nothing short of disastrous so far.

Roma are not faring all that much better and the defeat by Viktoria Plzen at home in their last game should give Rangers confidence they can get a result against the Italian giants.

As well as trying to stiffen up his defence, Rohl has an attacking conundrum to solve: does he persist with the misfiring Youssef Chermiti? Has Bojan Miovski shown him enough in training to earn a start? Or can he come up with another solution to Rangers' issues in front of goal?

A victory on Thursday would not only breathe life into an ailing Europa League campaign but could be the fillip the team needs to kickstart the season.

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• This is the first meeting between Rangers and Roma in European competition. The Ibrox side have failed to score in their past four major European games against Italian sides (D2 L2) since a 3-2 win over Livorno in October 2006.

• Rangers skipper James Tavernier's next Europa League appearance will equal Andreas Ulmer's record for games played for a single club. Ulmer played 61 times for RB Salzburg, with Tavernier on 60 games for Rangers currently.

• Roma last met Scottish opponents in Europe in April 1984, beating Dundee United in the European Cup semi-final 3-2 on aggregate thanks to a 3-0 home win in the second leg.

• Rangers have lost six successive European matches (including qualifiers), their joint worst losing run in Europe. The only two Scottish clubs to lose more in a row are Hibernian (seven between 2008 and 2016) and Motherwell (eight between 2010 and 2013).

• Roma have lost their past two Europa League games but haven't lost three major European matches in a row since September 2010.

Former Rangers director of football Gordon Smith was shocked that the Ibrox club paid Everton £8m for Youssef Chermiti and revealed he would not have signed the striker on a free transfer if he was still in post. (Daily Record), external

Roma have suffered their third major injury blow before Thursday's Europa League meeting with Rangers, with former Manchester City full-back Angelino missing out with asthmatic bronchitis. (Glasgow Times), external

Read Wednesday's Scottish Gossip in full.