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Roma displayed admirable efficiency in the way Roma dealt with this journey to Glasgow. Minimum of fuss. The team from Italy’s capital did, however, face manageable rivals when placing their Europa League bid on the right path. Observers noted a glaring gulf in quality between Roma and a Rangers squad that has now lost a club record seven European games in a row.

To their credit, Rangers at least huffed and puffed during a second half when surrender felt the more likely option. Yet, the match was decided as a contest at that stage. The Scottish club remain anchored at the bottom of the tournament, which should constitute an disgrace to a club of this standing. Roma have ambitions once more on making proper impact. One slight disappointment in this match was in not delivering a result appropriately depicting the mismatch in quality.

Surprisingly, this marked only the Roman club’s second-ever European joust with a team from Scotland since the historic Fairs Cup business with Hibs in 1961. Their last such match, against the Terrors over two decades later, became marred (to put it mildly) by the corruption of a match official. Back then, Scottish clubs could compete with the best in Europe. The current campaign has seen the co-efficient plunge to a level that will soon have major ramifications.

Danny Röhl’s main quality so far as the fanbase are concerned is that he isn’t his predecessor. Martin’s ghastly tenure as the manager lasted just over four months in the early part of this season. Röhl, the new man at the helm, has shown promise albeit within a tiny sample size. The dugouts witnessed a clash of generations; the Rangers boss is 36, his counterpart the Roma manager is sixty-seven.

Another element was far more striking as the teams lined up. Rangers’ glaring lack of height against the Italians looked worrying. That concern was confirmed within the opening quarter-hour as Bryan Cristante comfortably flicked on a set-piece at the front post. Following up, the Argentine winger burst forward to knock his team in front. A Roma team minus the unavailable their young striker and their star attacker, who have been questioned for lack of cutting edge even with decent performances in this campaign, were pleased with their early advantage.

Rangers should have levelled matters immediately. Rather, Youssef Chermiti screwed his shot wide after a defensive error in the visitors’ backline. Chermiti’s £8m purchase from Everton has piled pressure on the Rangers transfer hierarchy. Chermiti possesses at least the physique to be an productive striker but appears unwilling or unable to utilize them fully.

Roma dominated opening period the ball thereafter. They extended their advantage through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose curling shot into the far post of Jack Butland’s net came after a lay off from the Ukrainian forward. The hosts will bemoan the fact the midfielder stood in blissful isolation but it was a gorgeous strike. The stadium, usually a raucous venue on continental evenings, had been quietened with time still remaining until halftime. Even the boos which met the interval were timid; Rangers were simply in the midst of being overwhelmed.

The second period started against a unusual backdrop. Supporters directed their focus for the latest time towards the club’s chief executive, Patrick Stewart, and sporting director, Kevin Thelwell. A pair of displays, clearly sinister in message, showed the duo with targets on their images. One wonders what the club owner makes of all this. After all, the chairman enjoyed an anonymous life as a successful businessman in the US before fronting a takeover of this club. Paying punters have not turned on Cavenagh yet but there is a mutinous mood in the air. It is one which is easy to understand; Rangers’ management is wholly unimpressive.

Right on cue, Chermiti was sent through on goal on the 60-minute mark and found only the outside of the goal. This actually triggered Rangers’ finest spell of the game, in which their replacement Thelo Aasgaard shot narrowly past the post. It was, nonetheless, hard to gauge the visitors’ continued offensive intent until Zeki Celik was presented with a opportunity all of a yard out which he inexplicably lifted and on to the underside of the bar.

That was it as far as meaningful opportunity were involved. The series of substitutions from both teams meant this game ended more in the fashion of a pre-season friendly than competitive match. That scenario benefited the Italians perfectly. It prompted reflection to ponder how exactly Rangers, runners-up in this tournament in recently and strong enough of the quarter-finals a last year, reached the stage of making up the numbers.