#as-roma

#as-roma

We leave football to one side in normal life. There's been a lot of talk about the game, maybe a little too much.

The reality is we were not able to cope with the intensity. First half was difficult, we were not able to come out of the pressure. It wasn't easy for my players. I don't like to talk about luck. The first goal didn't help us. The second half was better. I cannot tell you [the players] didn't try, they tried. I'm not concerned, I really liked the reaction. They deserve at least to score one goal and the dynamic could change.

Rangers suffered a fourth straight defeat to open their Europa League campaign after being swept aside 2-0 by Roma at Ibrox. The Scottish giants' dour run in Europe continued as Danny Rohl followed up a 3-0 defeat to Brann in his first game in charge with another disappointing result on Thursday. Rohl had built some optimism with back-to-back domestic wins over Kilmarnock and Hibernian, but he clearly has more work to do after this defeat and losing to Celtic in the Scottish League Cup semi-finals.

After failing to qualify for the Champions League, Rangers have lost all three games in the Europa League so far in what has been a disastrous start to the season. Russell Martin lasted just 17 games in charge, and there was no immediate new manager bounce as his replacement Danny Rohl took charge for the first time in the last round of Europa League fixtures, losing 3-0 to Brann.

At a certain point, I asked myself, 'Why are you doing this?'. It didn't make sense anymore. It was time to listen to myself. Over the last two years, I've played in conditions that weren't normal for a professional footballer. And if I could do it again today, I'd make the same choice. I was at the stadium for Milan-Fiorentina, and I didn't get that feeling of... um... 'Wow, I wish I were on the pitch.'

Nice are a modest club in Italy that have been doing well in recent times. They finished fourth in the Ligue 1 table last season and will now be playing in the UEFA Europa League this campaign. Franck Haise's side, though, have made a disappointing start to the new season. Nice are as low as 12th in the Ligue 1 table at the moment with just six points from five matches, only two points above the relegation zone. Nice will head into the UEFA Europa League match against AS Roma at the Allianz Riviera on the back of a 4-1 defeat to Brest away from home in Ligue 1.