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There was admirable efficiency in the way the Italian side dealt with this journey to Scotland. Without much drama. Roma from Italy’s capital did, nonetheless, face manageable rivals 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 lost a team record seven European games consecutively.

To their credit, Rangers at least huffed and puffed during a later period when capitulation felt the probable outcome. However, the game was settled as a contest at that stage. Rangers remain anchored at the foot of the tournament, which should represent an embarrassment to a team of this standing. Roma have eyes once more on achieving significant success. One slight disappointment here was in not producing a scoreline appropriately depicting men against boys.

Surprisingly, this represented only Roma’s second European joust with a team from Scotland since the historic Fairs Cup business with Hibernian in 1961. Their last such match, against the Terrors 23 years later, became marred (to put it politely) by the bribing of a match official. Back then, teams from Scotland could compete with the top sides in the continent. The current campaign has seen the co-efficient plunge to a point that will shortly have major ramifications.

The new manager’s main quality up to now as the Rangers support are concerned is that he is not Russell Martin. The latter’s ghastly spell as the manager lasted just over four months in the early part of this season. Röhl, the recent appointment at the helm, has displayed potential albeit within a tiny sample size. The technical areas saw a generation game; Röhl is 36, his opposite number the Roma manager is sixty-seven.

A further factor was much more noticeable as the sides took the field. The home team’s glaring lack of height against the visitors looked worrying. This point was confirmed within 13 minutes as the Roma midfielder easily redirected a corner at the front post. Following up, the Argentine winger burst forward to knock his team ahead. A Roma team without the injured their young striker and their star attacker, who have been criticised for lack of cutting edge even with reasonable performances in this campaign, were delighted with their quick lead.

The Ibrox side could have levelled matters immediately. Instead, the forward screwed his shot wide after a mix-up in the visitors’ backline. The player’s £8m signing from the Toffees has increased scrutiny of the Rangers transfer hierarchy. Chermiti possesses at least the physique to be an effective striker but seems reluctant or incapable to utilize them fully.

Roma controlled first-half the ball thereafter. They extended their advantage through their captain, whose curling shot into the far post of Jack Butland’s net arrived after a lay off from Artem Dovbyk. The hosts will bemoan the fact Pellegrini stood in blissful isolation but it was a superb finish. Ibrox, usually a boisterous venue on continental evenings, had been quietened with time still remaining before the break. Even the boos which greeted the interval were subdued; the home team were clearly in the midst of being outclassed.

After the break began against a unusual backdrop. Those Rangers fans directed their focus for the latest time towards the top executive, the CEO, and transfer chief, the director. Two banners, obviously menacing in message, showed the duo with bullseyes on their faces. It raises questions what the Rangers chairman makes of all this. After all, the chairman had an anonymous life as a wealthy entrepreneur in the United States before leading a takeover of Rangers. Paying punters have not targeted Cavenagh yet but there is a rebellious mood around the club. This is easy to understand; The team’s leadership is completely unimpressive.

Right on cue, the striker was played in on the keeper on the hour mark and hit the outside of the goal. This actually triggered the home side’s best period of the game, in which their replacement the young midfielder fired just wide. It was, however, difficult to determine the visitors’ remaining offensive intent until the full-back was given a opportunity all of a yard out which he somehow lifted and onto the underside of the bar.

That opportunity as far as meaningful chances were involved. The raft of substitutions from each side meant this fixture closed more in the fashion of a summer exhibition than competitive match. That scenario benefited the Italians perfectly. There was cause to ponder how on earth the Glasgow club, finalists in this competition in recently and worthy of the last eight a season ago, reached the point of just participating.