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There was admirable efficiency in the way the Italian side handled this journey to Glasgow. Without much drama. Roma from Rome did, however, meet favourable opposition when putting their Europa League bid on the right path. There was a obvious gulf in quality between the Serie A outfit and a the Scottish team side that has now suffered defeat in a club record seven European games consecutively.

To their credit, the home side at least huffed and puffed during a second half when capitulation felt the more likely outcome. However, the game was settled as a competition at that stage. The Scottish club remain rooted to the foot of the tournament, which should constitute an disgrace to a team of this standing. The Giallorossi have eyes once more on achieving significant success. Their only regret in this match was in not producing a result that truly reflected men against boys.

Surprisingly, this represented only Roma’s second-ever continental encounter with a team from Scotland since the historic Fairs Cup business with Hibs in 1961. The previous one, against the Terrors 23 years later, became overshadowed (to put it mildly) by the bribing of a match official. In those days, Scottish clubs could compete with the best in the continent. This season has seen the co-efficient plunge to a point that will soon have major consequences.

The new manager’s main quality up to now as the Rangers support are concerned is that he isn’t his predecessor. The latter’s ghastly tenure as the manager lasted just over four months in the initial phase of this season. Röhl, the recent appointment at the helm, has displayed potential though within a tiny sample size. The technical areas saw a generation game; Röhl is thirty-six, his counterpart the Roma manager is 67.

Another element was far more striking as the teams took the field. The home team’s glaring short stature against the visitors looked ominous. This point was proven within 13 minutes as the Roma midfielder easily flicked on a corner at the front post. Following up, Matías Soulé burst forward to knock Roma 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 pleased with their quick lead.

Rangers should have equalised immediately. Rather, the forward screwed his shot wide after a defensive error in the Roma defence. The player’s £8m purchase from Everton has piled pressure on the Rangers transfer hierarchy. Chermiti possesses 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 possession thereafter. Roma doubled their lead through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose curling shot into the bottom corner of the goalkeeper’s net arrived after a lay off from the Ukrainian forward. Rangers will lament the fact the midfielder was left in blissful isolation but it was a superb finish. The stadium, usually a boisterous venue on continental evenings, had been silenced nine minutes before the break. Even the boos which met the interval were subdued; the home team were simply in the process of being overwhelmed.

The second period started against a unusual backdrop. Those Rangers fans directed their focus for the latest time towards the club’s chief executive, the CEO, and transfer chief, the director. Two banners, clearly sinister in message, showed the pair with targets on their images. It raises questions what the Rangers chairman thinks about the situation. After all, Andrew Cavenagh enjoyed an anonymous life as a wealthy entrepreneur in the United States before fronting a takeover of this club. Paying punters have not turned on Cavenagh yet but there is a mutinous feeling in the air. This is unsurprising; The team’s leadership is completely unconvincing.

As if scripted, Chermiti was sent through on the keeper on the hour mark and hit the side netting. This actually triggered Rangers’ best period of the game, in which their replacement the young midfielder fired just wide. Yet, nonetheless, hard to gauge Roma’s remaining attacking motivation until Zeki Celik was given a opportunity from close range which he somehow lifted and onto the bottom of the crossbar.

That was it as far as meaningful chances were involved. The raft of substitutions from each side meant this fixture ended more in the style of a pre-season friendly than serious contest. This of course suited the Italians perfectly. It prompted reflection to consider how exactly the Glasgow club, finalists in this competition in 2022 and worthy of the last eight a season ago, reached the point of just participating.