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There was admirable efficiency about the way Roma dealt with this trip to Scotland. Without much drama. The team from Italy’s capital did, nonetheless, meet favourable opposition when putting their European competition bid back on track. Observers noted a glaring difference in class between Roma and a Rangers squad that has now suffered defeat in a club record seven European games consecutively.

Positively, the home side at least fought hard during a second half when surrender felt the more likely option. However, the game was decided as a contest by then. The Scottish club remain rooted to the foot of the Europa League, which should constitute an disgrace to a club of this standing. The Giallorossi have ambitions once more on achieving significant success. Their only regret here was in not producing a scoreline appropriately depicting the mismatch in quality.

Amazingly, this represented only the Roman club’s second European joust with Scottish opposition since Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibernian in 1961. The previous one, against the Terrors 23 years later, became marred (to put it politely) by the bribing of a match official. Back then, Scottish clubs could vie with the best in Europe. The current campaign has seen the UEFA coefficient plunge to a point that will soon have major ramifications.

Danny Röhl’s main quality so far as the Rangers support are see it is that he isn’t Russell Martin. Martin’s dismal spell as the head coach continued for just over four months in the early part of this season. Röhl, the recent appointment at the helm, has displayed potential though within a limited timeframe. The dugouts witnessed a generation game; the Rangers boss is 36, his counterpart Gian Piero Gasperini is sixty-seven.

Another element was far more striking as the teams lined up. The home team’s obvious lack of height against the Italians looked worrying. That concern was proven within the opening quarter-hour as Bryan Cristante easily flicked on a corner at the front post. Following up, Matías Soulé burst forward to fire Roma in front. A Roma team without the injured their young striker and their star attacker, who have been questioned for lack of cutting edge despite reasonable results in this campaign, were pleased with their quick lead.

Rangers could have levelled matters instantly. Instead, the forward sent his effort off target after a mix-up in the visitors’ backline. Chermiti’s £8m purchase from Everton has increased scrutiny of the Rangers transfer hierarchy. Chermiti possesses at least the physical attributes to be an productive centre forward but seems reluctant or incapable to utilize them fully.

The Italian outfit controlled first-half possession from that point. Roma extended their advantage through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose curling shot into the bottom corner of the goalkeeper’s net came after a lay off from Artem Dovbyk. Rangers will bemoan the fact the midfielder stood in complete freedom but it was a superb strike. Ibrox, typically a boisterous venue on continental evenings, had been silenced nine minutes before the break. Even the boos which greeted the interval were timid; the home team were simply in the midst of being outclassed.

After the break started against a unusual atmosphere. Supporters turned their attentions for the latest time towards the top executive, the CEO, and sporting director, the director. A pair of displays, clearly menacing in tone, showed the duo with bullseyes on their faces. One wonders what the Rangers chairman thinks about all this. Ultimately, the chairman had an low-profile career as a wealthy entrepreneur in the United States before fronting a acquisition of this club. Fans have not turned on Cavenagh yet but there is a mutinous mood in the air. This is unsurprising; Rangers’ leadership is completely unimpressive.

As if scripted, the striker was played in on the keeper on the hour mark and hit the side netting. That moment sparked the home side’s finest spell 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 presented with a opportunity all of a yard out which he somehow lifted and on to the underside of the bar.

That opportunity as far as clear-cut chances were concerned. The series of substitutions from both teams resulted in this game closed more in the fashion of a pre-season friendly than competitive match. That scenario benefited the Italians perfectly. There was cause to ponder how exactly the Glasgow club, finalists in this competition in recently and strong enough of the last eight a last year, reached the point of making up the numbers.