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There was impressive effectiveness in the way Roma dealt with this journey to Glasgow. Minimum of fuss. The team from Italy’s capital did, nonetheless, face manageable rivals when placing their Europa League bid on the right path. There was a glaring gulf in quality between the Serie A outfit and a the Scottish team squad that has now suffered defeat in a club record seven European games in a row.

Positively, the home side at least huffed and puffed during a second half when surrender felt the probable option. Yet, the game was decided as a competition by then. Rangers remain rooted to the bottom of the tournament, which should represent an disgrace to a club of this standing. Roma have eyes again on making proper impact. Their only regret here was in not producing a scoreline appropriately depicting men against boys.

Surprisingly, this marked only the Roman club’s second European joust with Scottish opposition since Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibernian in the early 60s. Their last such match, against Dundee United 23 years later, became marred (to put it mildly) by the bribing of a referee. Back then, Scottish clubs could vie with the top sides in the continent. The current campaign has seen the co-efficient drop to a level that will soon have huge ramifications.

The new manager’s main quality so far as the Rangers support are see it is that he isn’t Russell Martin. The latter’s ghastly spell as the manager lasted 123 days in the initial phase of this season. Röhl, the recent appointment at the helm, has displayed potential albeit within a limited timeframe. The dugouts witnessed a generation game; the Rangers boss is thirty-six, his counterpart the Roma manager is sixty-seven.

A further factor was far more striking as the teams lined up. The home team’s glaring lack of height against the visitors looked ominous. That concern was confirmed within the opening quarter-hour as Bryan Cristante easily flicked on a corner at the near post. At the back, the Argentine winger burst forward to knock his team in front. A Roma team minus the injured Evan Ferguson and their star attacker, who have been questioned for bluntness even with decent results in this campaign, were delighted with their quick lead.

Rangers could have equalised instantly. Instead, Youssef Chermiti sent his effort off target after a defensive error in the visitors’ backline. Chermiti’s £8m signing from the Toffees has piled pressure on the Rangers transfer hierarchy. He has at least the physique to be an productive centre forward but seems reluctant or incapable to use them.

Roma dominated first-half the ball thereafter. Roma doubled their lead through their captain, whose bent effort into the bottom corner of the goalkeeper’s net arrived after a lay off from the Ukrainian forward. The hosts will lament the fact the midfielder stood in blissful isolation but it was a gorgeous strike. The stadium, typically a raucous place on European nights, had been silenced with time still remaining before the break. The discontent which met the half-time whistle were subdued; Rangers were simply in the process of being outclassed.

After the break began against a curious atmosphere. Those Rangers fans turned their attentions once again towards the club’s chief executive, Patrick Stewart, and transfer chief, the director. A pair of displays, clearly sinister in tone, depicted the duo with bullseyes on their faces. One wonders what the club owner thinks about the situation. Ultimately, the chairman had an low-profile life as a wealthy entrepreneur in the United States before fronting a takeover of Rangers. Fans have not targeted the owner so far but there is a mutinous feeling around the club. It is one which is unsurprising; The team’s management is completely unimpressive.

Right on cue, Chermiti was sent through on goal on the hour mark and found only the outside of the goal. That moment sparked the home side’s finest spell of the game, in which their substitute the young midfielder shot narrowly past the post. It was, however, difficult to determine Roma’s remaining offensive intent until Zeki Celik was presented with a chance all of a yard out which he inexplicably lifted and onto the underside of the crossbar.

That opportunity as far as meaningful chances were concerned. The raft of changes from each side resulted in this game ended more in the fashion of a summer exhibition than competitive match. That scenario benefited the Italians fine. There was cause to consider how exactly Rangers, finalists in this competition in 2022 and strong enough of the last eight a last year, reached the point of making up the numbers.