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Roma displayed impressive effectiveness in the way the Italian side dealt with this journey to Scotland. Minimum of fuss. The team from Rome did, however, meet favourable opposition when placing their Europa League bid back on track. Observers noted a obvious gulf in quality between Roma and a Rangers squad that has now suffered defeat in a club record seven continental matches consecutively.

To their credit, the home side at least huffed and puffed during a second half when surrender felt the probable outcome. Yet, the game was decided as a contest by then. The Scottish club remain rooted to the bottom of the tournament, which should represent an disgrace to a club of this standing. Roma have eyes once more on making proper impact. Their only regret in this match was in not delivering a scoreline appropriately depicting the mismatch in quality.

Surprisingly, this represented only Roma’s second-ever continental encounter with Scottish opposition since Fairs Cup business with Hibernian in the early 60s. Their last such match, against the Terrors 23 years later, became overshadowed (to put it politely) by the bribing of a match official. Back then, Scottish clubs could vie with the best in the continent. The current campaign has seen the UEFA coefficient drop to a level that will soon have major ramifications.

The new manager’s main quality so far as the Rangers support are concerned is that he isn’t his predecessor. Martin’s ghastly tenure as the head coach lasted 123 days in the early part of the campaign. Röhl, the new man at the helm, has shown promise albeit within a tiny sample size. The dugouts witnessed a generation game; the Rangers boss is thirty-six, his opposite number the Roma manager is sixty-seven.

Another element was much more noticeable as the sides lined up. The home team’s obvious lack of height against the Italians looked worrying. That concern was proven within 13 minutes as the Roma midfielder easily redirected a set-piece at the near post. At the back, Matías Soulé sprinted into space to knock Roma ahead. A Roma team without the unavailable their young striker and Paulo Dybala, who have been questioned for bluntness even with decent performances in the tournament, 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 Roma defence. The player’s £8m signing from Everton has piled pressure on the club’s recruitment team. He has at least the physical attributes to be an productive centre forward but seems unwilling or unable to utilize them fully.

The Italian outfit dominated opening period possession from that point. They extended their advantage through their captain, whose curling shot into the bottom corner of Jack Butland’s net came after a pass 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 place on continental evenings, had been silenced nine minutes until halftime. Even the boos which met the half-time whistle were subdued; Rangers were clearly in the midst of being outclassed.

After the break started against a curious atmosphere. Supporters directed their focus for the latest time towards the top executive, the CEO, and transfer chief, the director. A pair of displays, clearly sinister in message, depicted the pair with targets on their images. It raises questions what the club owner makes of the situation. After all, Andrew Cavenagh had an anonymous career as a wealthy entrepreneur in the US before fronting a takeover of this club. Paying punters have not targeted Cavenagh so far but there is a rebellious feeling in the air. It is one which is easy to understand; The team’s management is wholly unconvincing.

Right on cue, Chermiti was played in on the keeper on the hour mark and hit the side netting. That moment sparked Rangers’ best period of the match, in which their replacement Thelo Aasgaard fired just wide. It was, nonetheless, hard to determine the visitors’ continued attacking motivation until the full-back was presented with a chance from close range which he somehow lifted and on to the underside of the bar.

That opportunity as far as meaningful opportunity were concerned. The raft of substitutions from each side resulted in this fixture closed more in the fashion of a pre-season friendly than competitive match. That scenario benefited the Italians fine. There was cause to consider how exactly the Glasgow club, runners-up in this competition in recently and worthy of the quarter-finals a last year, reached the point of just participating.