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Roma displayed admirable efficiency in the way Roma dealt with this journey to Scotland. Minimum of fuss. Roma from Rome did, nonetheless, meet favourable opposition when putting their Europa League bid on the right path. There was a glaring difference in class between the Serie A outfit and a Rangers side that has now suffered defeat in a team record seven European games consecutively.

Positively, the home side at least fought hard during a later period when capitulation felt the more likely option. Yet, the match was decided as a competition at that stage. Rangers remain rooted to the foot of the Europa League, which should represent an disgrace to a team of such stature. Roma have ambitions once more on making proper impact. One slight disappointment here was in not producing a result that truly reflected the mismatch in quality.

Surprisingly, this represented only the Roman club’s second continental encounter with Scottish opposition since the historic Fairs Cup business with Hibernian in 1961. Their last such match, against Dundee United 23 years later, became overshadowed (to put it mildly) by the corruption of a referee. In those days, Scottish clubs could vie with the top sides in the continent. The current campaign has seen the co-efficient plunge to a level that will shortly have huge consequences.

The new manager’s key attribute up to now as the Rangers support are see it is that he isn’t his predecessor. The latter’s dismal spell as the head coach lasted 123 days in the initial phase of this season. Röhl, the new man at the helm, has displayed potential albeit within a tiny sample size. The technical areas saw a clash of generations; the Rangers boss is thirty-six, his opposite number the Roma manager is sixty-seven.

A further factor was far more striking as the teams lined up. The home team’s obvious short stature against the Italians looked worrying. This point was confirmed within the opening quarter-hour as Bryan Cristante comfortably redirected a corner at the near post. At the back, Matías Soulé burst forward to fire his team ahead. A Roma team minus the injured Evan Ferguson and Paulo Dybala, who have been criticised for lack of cutting edge even with decent performances in this campaign, were pleased with their quick lead.

The Ibrox side could have levelled matters immediately. Instead, Youssef Chermiti screwed his shot wide after a defensive error in the Roma defence. The player’s eight-million-pound signing from the Toffees has increased scrutiny of the Rangers transfer hierarchy. Chermiti possesses at least the physical attributes to be an productive striker but appears reluctant or incapable to use them.

Roma dominated opening period possession from that point. They extended their advantage through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose curling shot into the bottom corner of Jack Butland’s net came after a lay off from Artem Dovbyk. Rangers will lament the fact Pellegrini stood in blissful isolation but it was a gorgeous strike. Ibrox, typically a boisterous venue on European nights, had been quietened with time still remaining until halftime. The discontent which met the half-time whistle were timid; the home team were clearly in the process of being outclassed.

After the break began against a curious backdrop. Supporters directed their focus once again towards the top executive, Patrick Stewart, and transfer chief, the director. A pair of displays, clearly sinister in tone, depicted the pair with bullseyes on their images. It raises questions what the Rangers chairman thinks about all this. After all, Andrew Cavenagh enjoyed an anonymous life as a successful businessman in the US before fronting a acquisition of Rangers. Paying punters have not turned on the owner so far but there is a mutinous feeling around the club. It is one which is unsurprising; The team’s management is wholly unimpressive.

As if scripted, the striker was played in on goal on the 60-minute mark and hit the side netting. This actually triggered the home side’s finest spell of the game, in which their replacement the young midfielder shot narrowly past the post. Yet, nonetheless, difficult to gauge Roma’s remaining offensive intent until Zeki Celik was given a chance all of a yard out which he inexplicably lifted and on to the bottom of the bar.

That opportunity as far as clear-cut chances were involved. The raft of changes from both teams resulted in this game closed more in the fashion of a summer exhibition than competitive match. That scenario benefited Roma fine. There was cause to ponder how exactly Rangers, runners-up in this tournament in 2022 and strong enough of the quarter-finals a season ago, arrived at the point of just participating.