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There was impressive effectiveness about the way the Italian side dealt with this journey to Scotland. Minimum of fuss. The team from Italy’s capital did, nonetheless, face manageable rivals when placing their European competition bid on the right path. There was a obvious gulf in quality between Roma 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 fought hard during a later period when surrender felt the more likely outcome. Yet, the match was settled as a contest at that stage. Rangers remain anchored at the foot of the tournament, which should constitute an disgrace to a team of such stature. Roma have eyes once more on achieving significant success. Their only regret in this match was in not delivering a scoreline that truly reflected the mismatch in quality.

Amazingly, this marked only the Roman club’s second continental encounter with a team from Scotland since the historic Fairs Cup business with Hibernian in the early 60s. Their last such match, against the Terrors over two decades later, became marred (to put it politely) by the bribing of a referee. In those days, Scottish clubs could compete with the best in the continent. The current campaign has seen the UEFA coefficient drop to a level that will soon have huge consequences.

The new manager’s key attribute so far as the fanbase are concerned is that he isn’t Russell Martin. Martin’s dismal tenure as the manager continued for 123 days in the early part of this season. The German coach, the recent appointment at the helm, has displayed potential though within a tiny sample size. The technical areas saw a clash of generations; Röhl is 36, his counterpart Gian Piero Gasperini is 67.

A further factor was much more noticeable as the sides took the field. Rangers’ obvious lack of height against the visitors looked worrying. That concern was proven within 13 minutes as the Roma midfielder comfortably flicked on a set-piece at the front post. At the back, the Argentine winger burst forward to fire Roma in front. The visitors without the unavailable Evan Ferguson and Paulo Dybala, who have been questioned for lack of cutting edge even with decent performances in this campaign, were pleased with their early advantage.

The Ibrox side should have equalised immediately. Instead, Youssef Chermiti sent his effort off target after a mix-up in the Roma defence. Chermiti’s £8m signing from Everton has piled pressure on the Rangers transfer hierarchy. Chermiti possesses at least the physical attributes to be an effective striker but appears reluctant or incapable to utilize them fully.

Roma dominated opening period the ball thereafter. They doubled their lead through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose bent effort into the bottom corner of the goalkeeper’s net arrived after a pass from the Ukrainian forward. Rangers will bemoan the fact Pellegrini stood in blissful isolation but it was a gorgeous finish. Ibrox, typically a raucous venue on continental evenings, had been silenced with time still remaining until halftime. Even the boos which greeted the half-time whistle were subdued; Rangers were simply in the process of being overwhelmed.

After the break began against a curious atmosphere. Those Rangers fans turned their attentions once again towards the top executive, Patrick Stewart, and sporting director, the director. Two banners, clearly sinister in tone, showed the pair with targets on their images. One wonders what the Rangers chairman thinks about all this. Ultimately, Andrew Cavenagh had an anonymous career as a wealthy entrepreneur in the United States before leading a takeover of this club. Fans have not turned on the owner so far but there is a mutinous feeling in the air. It is one which is unsurprising; The team’s management is wholly unimpressive.

As if scripted, Chermiti was sent through on the keeper on the 60-minute mark and hit the outside of the goal. That moment sparked Rangers’ finest spell of the match, in which their substitute the young midfielder shot narrowly past the post. It was, however, difficult to gauge the visitors’ continued attacking motivation until Zeki Celik was presented with a opportunity all of a yard out which he somehow hit up and on to the bottom of the crossbar.

That opportunity as far as clear-cut opportunity were involved. The series of changes from each side meant this fixture closed more in the fashion of a summer exhibition than serious contest. This of course suited Roma perfectly. It prompted reflection to ponder how exactly the Glasgow club, runners-up in this competition in recently and strong enough of the quarter-finals a last year, reached the stage of just participating.