Victory would have guaranteed Roma a place in the knockout rounds as Group E runners-up behind Barcelona, but they appeared content to play for a draw, banking on Bayer Leverkusen failing to beat Barca at the BayArena.
Rudi Garcia's side were jeered off at the final whistle as they got away with their limp performance after Leverkusen only managed a 1-1 draw against Barcelona.
“The team deserves to be applauded for qualifying,” club President James Pallotta told Roma TV, “but it’s frustrating when you come here and they’re getting whistled at.
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“The fans should be cheering us on, the lads work day after day to improve and deserve a different response from the crowd.”
The wheels have come off for Roma in recent weeks and their intensity has dipped noticeably since a 6-1 hammering by Barca and a miserable 2-0 defeat by Atalanta in Serie A.
The scintillating attacking form they showed during the early portion of the season was absent against BATE and the Giallorossi wholly lacked the creativity and intensity required to break down the Belarusian side.
Only Miralem Pjanic went close with several efforts in the first half, notably when he forced Syarhey Chernik into a fine save in the 28th minute.
Edin Dzeko spurned Roma's best chance two minutes after halftime when he broke through one on one with Chernik, only to be thwarted by the goalkeeper's outstretched foot.
Sensing fragility on the part of their hosts, BATE began to surge forward, and Wojciech Szczesny was forced into a superb save in the 68th minute when he instinctively blocked from Ihar Stasevich at point-blank range.
“It was not the most beautiful performance, but we qualified and that’s what’s important,” Szczesny told Mediaset Predium.
“I think (the fans) have a right to be frustrated, as they want to win games and see us play beautiful football.”
(Reporting by Ed Dove; Editing by Rex Gowar)
