Rangers vs Roma Prediction: Giallorossi too tough for Rohl’s Rangers

Rangers’ Europa League season faces a virtual make-or-break moment at Ibrox on Thursday when they host Roma on matchday four of eight (20:00 GMT, live on TNT Sports 3).

The Gers have lost three from three to this point, and a fourth defeat would ensure that the entirety of their focus will be switched to making up ground in the Scottish Premiership. My Rangers vs Roma predictions are below, alongside the latest team news and match odds from Betfred.

Team News

Rangers boss Danny Rohl could shuffle his pack after his side were reduced to 10 players in the first half of their 120-minute slog against Celtic in Sunday’s League Cup semi-final.

Captain James Tavernier is among those who could be rested, while the likes of Nico Raskin and Nasser Djiga were removed before the end at Hampden Park as fatigue got the better of the Light Blues.

A decision has to be made in the forward line too, with Youssef Chermiti having missed two big chances on Sunday. There could be a first run-out as a partnership under Rohl for Danilo and Bojan Miovski.

Roma have to make changes, with Paulo Dybala having pulled a muscle when missing from the spot against AC Milan at the weekend.

There’s no Evan Ferguson either for Gian Piero Gaperini to select, with Angelino missing due to bronchitis and unlikely to play until after the November international break.

Rangers vs Roma Odds

It’s Roma who are backed to take the three points in the west of Glasgow, with Betfred having the visitors at 4/5 to record a second victory of the league stage.

Rangers are 18/5 for the win, making the home success a 21.7% implied probability, with the draw 11/4.

Artem Dovbyk is the 4/1 favourite to score the opening goal of the game, with Matias Soule 6/1 and Stephan El Shaarawy 7/1. Miovski, at 8/1, is the most fancied Rangers player for the first goal.

Today's Football Fixtures

Handicap -1: Tie @ 12/5

The major feeling around Rangers right now is that there has to be a focus on the Scottish Premiership, particularly given the start they have made to their Europa League campaign.

Three defeats – including against the two lowest-ranked team in the competition in Genk and Brann – have left them playing catch-up. And while the extended format allows for that happen, the multi-faceted issues at the club right now demand that the Premiership becomes a priority.

So Rohl will be forgiven if his current form of two league wins and two cup defeats continues for the time being as he comes to terms with the job.

And in Roma, his side are coming up against a team who have been really difficult to break down this season.

Gasperini’s flair-driven Atalanta team is a thing of the past, with the Giallorossi’s 13 games this term featuring 12 which have been won by a single goal one way or the other.

This will be another, and it’s 12/5 for the visitors to win by a single goal at an implied 29.4%. That is way on the generous side.

Football Odds

Half-Time/Full-Time: Roma/Roma @ 7/4

On occasion, Roma have been a slow burner of a side this season. But they’ve also secured four of their eight wins on the back of half-time leads.

With the Ibrox factor a definite thing, there will be a desire within the away dressing room to get on top early. And a first-half goal might do much of the work.

Rohl’s teams don’t go away easily, as proven again on Sunday with 10 players, but I see the Lupi gaining and maintaining a first-half advantage at 7/4.

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