Rangers Urged By Danny Rohl To Focus On Small Steps Following European Defeat Against Roma

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Danny Rohl encouraged his team to focus on gradual improvements following their fourth consecutive Europa League loss against Roma. Rangers have been defeated in all their Europa League matches this season, with two losses under Russell Martin and two under Rohl. First-half goals from Matias Soule and Lorenzo Pellegrini led to a 2-0 defeat, marking the first time in history that Rangers have lost seven straight European games, including qualifiers.

Rangers have conceded the opening goal in five consecutive major European matches for the first time since September 1962 to October 1963. They have also suffered 16 defeats across all competitions in 2025. Only in 1979, 1983, and 1985 did they lose more times in a calendar year. Despite these setbacks, Rohl remains optimistic about the future.

Rohl is the first permanent Rangers manager to lose three of his initial five games (W2). However, he remains focused on upcoming challenges. "At the moment, on this journey, we have to make small steps and our focus is on Sunday [away to Dundee] to get a third league win in a row," Rohl told TNT Sports.

Rangers have lost ten European games in 2025, making them one of only four teams ever to do so in a single year. Notably, one of these instances was also Rangers themselves in 2022. The team has kept a clean sheet in just five of their 23 matches this season, their lowest percentage since the 1957-58 season.

Despite the defeat against Roma, Rohl felt his team had chances to change the outcome. Youssef Chermiti missed two significant opportunities while Gianluca Mancini denied Mikey Moore with an open goal. "There was not so much in the game. Two times they were clinical," said Rohl. He noted that until minute 75, they were still competitive but lacked momentum.

Jack Butland acknowledged the team's defensive vulnerabilities during the match at Ibrox. "We had chances; they had some too," said Butland on TNT Sport. He admitted that while they improved after halftime, facing top teams means any lapse is costly. "You get punished if you're not at it," he added.

The former Sheffield Wednesday manager observed that although they found more space and flexibility in the second half, they weren't sharp enough at crucial moments. This lack of precision allowed Roma to capitalise on their opportunities and secure victory.

The ongoing challenges for Rangers highlight the need for resilience as they aim for improvement both domestically and internationally.