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There was impressive effectiveness in the way the Italian side dealt with this trip to Glasgow. Minimum of fuss. Roma from Italy’s capital did, nonetheless, meet favourable opposition when placing their European competition bid back on track. There was a obvious difference in class between the Serie A outfit and a the Scottish team side that has now lost a club record seven European games consecutively.

To their credit, Rangers at least huffed and puffed during a second half when surrender felt the probable outcome. Yet, the game was settled as a contest by then. Rangers remain anchored at the foot of the Europa League, which should constitute an embarrassment to a team of such stature. Roma have eyes once more on achieving significant success. One slight disappointment in this match was in not producing a result appropriately depicting the mismatch in quality.

Surprisingly, this represented only the Roman club’s second-ever continental encounter with a team from Scotland since Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibernian in 1961. The previous one, against the Terrors 23 years later, became overshadowed (to put it mildly) by the bribing of a referee. Back then, Scottish clubs could compete with the top sides in the continent. This season has seen the co-efficient drop to a point that will soon have major ramifications.

Danny Röhl’s key attribute up to now as the Rangers support are see it is that he is not Russell Martin. Martin’s ghastly spell as the manager continued for 123 days in the initial phase of this season. The German coach, the recent appointment at the helm, has displayed potential albeit within a limited timeframe. The technical areas witnessed a generation game; the Rangers boss is 36, his opposite number Gian Piero Gasperini is 67.

Another element was far more striking as the sides lined up. Rangers’ glaring short stature against the Italians looked worrying. That concern was confirmed within the opening quarter-hour as the Roma midfielder easily flicked on a corner at the front post. Following up, Matías Soulé burst forward to fire Roma ahead. The visitors minus the unavailable Evan Ferguson and Paulo Dybala, who have been questioned for bluntness despite reasonable results in this campaign, were pleased with their early advantage.

The Ibrox side could have levelled matters immediately. Rather, the forward screwed his shot wide after a mix-up in the visitors’ backline. Chermiti’s eight-million-pound signing from Everton has piled pressure on the club’s recruitment team. Chermiti possesses at least the physical attributes to be an productive striker but seems reluctant or incapable to use them.

The Italian outfit dominated opening period possession from that point. They doubled their lead through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose bent effort into the far post of the goalkeeper’s net came after a pass from Artem Dovbyk. The hosts will bemoan the fact the midfielder was left in blissful isolation but it was a superb finish. Ibrox, usually a raucous place on European nights, had been silenced nine minutes until halftime. Even the boos which met the interval were subdued; Rangers were simply in the process of being overwhelmed.

After the break started against a curious backdrop. Those Rangers fans directed their focus once again towards the top executive, the CEO, and sporting director, the director. A pair of displays, clearly menacing in tone, depicted the pair with targets on their faces. One wonders what the club owner thinks about the situation. Ultimately, the chairman enjoyed an anonymous career as a successful businessman in the US before leading a takeover of this club. Fans have not targeted the owner so far but there is a rebellious mood in the air. It is one which is easy to understand; Rangers’ leadership is wholly unconvincing.

As if scripted, the striker was played in on the keeper on the hour mark and hit the outside of the goal. This actually triggered Rangers’ finest spell of the game, in which their substitute Thelo Aasgaard shot narrowly past the post. It was, nonetheless, difficult to determine Roma’s remaining offensive intent until Zeki Celik was given a chance all of a yard out which he somehow hit up and onto the underside of the bar.

That was it as far as clear-cut opportunity were involved. The series of changes from both teams meant this game ended more in the fashion of a summer exhibition than serious contest. This of course suited Roma fine. There was cause to ponder how on earth the Glasgow club, finalists in this tournament in 2022 and worthy of the quarter-finals a last year, reached the stage of just participating.