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Roma displayed impressive effectiveness in the way the Italian side dealt with this trip to Scotland. Without much drama. Roma from Italy’s capital did, however, face manageable rivals when placing their Europa League bid on the right path. There was a glaring gulf in quality between Roma and a Rangers squad that has now suffered defeat in a team record seven European games in a row.

Positively, the home side at least fought hard during a second half when surrender felt the probable option. However, the match was settled as a contest by then. Rangers remain rooted to the bottom of the tournament, which should represent an disgrace to a club of this standing. The Giallorossi have ambitions again on making proper impact. Their only regret in this match was in not producing a scoreline appropriately depicting the mismatch in quality.

Surprisingly, this marked only Roma’s second-ever European joust with a team from Scotland since Fairs Cup business with Hibs in 1961. Their last such match, against the Terrors over two decades later, became marred (to put it politely) by the bribing of a match official. Back then, teams from Scotland could vie with the top sides in the continent. This season has seen the UEFA coefficient drop to a point that will shortly have huge ramifications.

The new manager’s main quality up to now as the fanbase are see it is that he isn’t Russell Martin. The latter’s ghastly tenure as the manager continued for 123 days in the early part of this season. Röhl, the new man at the helm, has displayed potential albeit within a tiny sample size. The dugouts saw a clash of generations; Röhl is thirty-six, his opposite number the Roma manager is sixty-seven.

Another element was far more striking as the teams lined up. The home team’s obvious short stature against the Italians looked worrying. That concern was confirmed within 13 minutes as Bryan Cristante comfortably flicked on a set-piece at the near post. At the back, Matías Soulé burst forward to fire his team ahead. The visitors without the injured their young striker and Paulo Dybala, who have been criticised for bluntness despite reasonable results in the tournament, were pleased with their quick lead.

The Ibrox side should have levelled matters immediately. Rather, Youssef Chermiti sent his effort off target after a mix-up in the Roma defence. The player’s £8m signing from Everton has piled pressure on the Rangers transfer hierarchy. He has at least the physical attributes to be an productive striker but seems unwilling or unable to utilize them fully.

The Italian outfit dominated first-half the ball from that point. They doubled their lead through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose bent effort into the far post of Jack Butland’s net came after a lay off from Artem Dovbyk. Rangers will bemoan the fact the midfielder stood in complete freedom but it was a gorgeous finish. The stadium, typically a raucous place on European nights, had been quietened with time still remaining before the break. Even the boos which met the interval were timid; Rangers were simply in the process of being overwhelmed.

The second period began against a curious atmosphere. Supporters turned their attentions for the latest time towards the club’s chief executive, the CEO, and transfer chief, the director. Two banners, clearly menacing in tone, depicted the pair with bullseyes on their faces. One wonders what the club owner makes of all this. Ultimately, the chairman had an anonymous career as a successful businessman in the United States before fronting a acquisition of this club. Paying punters have not turned on the owner so far but there is a rebellious feeling in the air. It is one which is easy to understand; The team’s management is completely unconvincing.

Right on cue, Chermiti was played in on goal on the 60-minute mark and hit the side netting. That moment sparked Rangers’ finest spell of the match, in which their substitute Thelo Aasgaard fired just wide. Yet, however, difficult to determine the visitors’ remaining offensive intent until the full-back was given a chance all of a yard out which he inexplicably hit up and on to the underside of the bar.

That was it as far as clear-cut opportunity were involved. The series of substitutions from both teams resulted in this game ended more in the style of a summer exhibition than competitive match. That scenario benefited Roma perfectly. It prompted reflection to consider how exactly the Glasgow club, finalists in this competition in 2022 and worthy of the quarter-finals a season ago, arrived at the stage of just participating.