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Roma displayed impressive effectiveness about the way Roma dealt with this trip to Glasgow. Minimum of fuss. Roma from Italy’s capital did, nonetheless, face manageable rivals when putting their Europa League bid on the right path. Observers noted a glaring difference in class between Roma and a the Scottish team side that has now lost a club record seven continental matches in a row.

Positively, the home side at least huffed and puffed during a later period when surrender felt the probable option. Yet, the match was decided as a competition at that stage. Rangers remain anchored at the foot of the Europa League, which should represent an disgrace to a team of such stature. Roma have ambitions once more on achieving significant success. Their only regret in this match was in not delivering a scoreline appropriately depicting the mismatch in quality.

Surprisingly, this represented only Roma’s second continental encounter with Scottish opposition since Fairs Cup business with Hibernian in 1961. The previous one, against Dundee United 23 years later, became overshadowed (to put it politely) by the bribing of a match official. Back then, Scottish clubs could vie with the top sides in Europe. This season has seen the UEFA coefficient drop to a point that will shortly have huge consequences.

Danny Röhl’s key attribute up to now as the Rangers support are see it is that he isn’t his predecessor. Martin’s dismal spell as the head coach continued for 123 days in the early part of the campaign. Röhl, the new man at the helm, has shown promise though within a tiny sample size. The technical areas saw a clash of generations; the Rangers boss is thirty-six, his counterpart Gian Piero Gasperini is sixty-seven.

A further factor was far more striking as the teams lined up. The home team’s glaring short stature against the Italians looked worrying. That concern was confirmed within the opening quarter-hour as Bryan Cristante comfortably redirected a set-piece at the front post. At the back, Matías Soulé burst forward to fire his team ahead. The visitors without the injured Evan Ferguson and their star attacker, who have been questioned for bluntness even with reasonable results in the tournament, were delighted with their quick lead.

Rangers could have equalised immediately. Instead, the forward sent his effort off target after a mix-up in the visitors’ backline. The player’s eight-million-pound purchase from Everton has piled pressure on the club’s recruitment team. Chermiti possesses at least the physique to be an effective centre forward but appears unwilling or unable to use them.

The Italian outfit controlled first-half possession thereafter. They doubled their lead through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose curling shot into the far post of the goalkeeper’s net arrived after a pass from the Ukrainian forward. The hosts will bemoan the fact the midfielder was left in complete freedom but it was a gorgeous strike. Ibrox, usually a boisterous place on continental evenings, had been silenced with time still remaining until halftime. Even the boos which met the half-time whistle were timid; the home team were clearly in the midst of being outclassed.

After the break began against a curious atmosphere. Supporters turned their attentions once again towards the top executive, Patrick Stewart, and sporting director, Kevin Thelwell. Two banners, clearly menacing in message, showed the pair with targets on their images. One wonders what the club owner thinks about the situation. After all, Andrew Cavenagh had an low-profile career as a successful businessman in the United States before fronting a takeover of Rangers. Paying punters have not turned on Cavenagh so far but there is a rebellious mood around the club. This is easy to understand; Rangers’ management is wholly unconvincing.

As if scripted, Chermiti was sent through on the keeper on the hour mark and hit the side netting. This actually triggered the home side’s best period of the game, in which their replacement Thelo Aasgaard shot narrowly past the post. Yet, nonetheless, difficult to determine the visitors’ continued offensive intent until the full-back was presented with a opportunity all of a yard out which he inexplicably lifted and on to the bottom of the crossbar.

That was it as far as meaningful chances were involved. The raft of changes from each side meant this fixture closed more in the fashion of a pre-season friendly than serious contest. That scenario benefited the Italians fine. It prompted reflection to consider how exactly the Glasgow club, finalists in this tournament in 2022 and worthy of the quarter-finals a last year, arrived at the point of making up the numbers.