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There was impressive effectiveness in the way the Italian side handled this trip to Scotland. Minimum of fuss. The team from Italy’s capital did, nonetheless, meet favourable opposition when putting their Europa League bid back on track. There was a obvious gulf in quality between the Serie A outfit and a the Scottish team side that has now lost a team record seven continental matches consecutively.

To their credit, Rangers at least fought hard during a later period when surrender felt the probable outcome. However, the match was decided as a competition by then. The Scottish club remain anchored at the foot of the tournament, which should constitute an embarrassment to a team of such stature. The Giallorossi have ambitions again on achieving significant success. One slight disappointment here was in not delivering a scoreline appropriately depicting the mismatch in quality.

Surprisingly, this represented only Roma’s second continental encounter with Scottish opposition since the historic Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibernian in the early 60s. The previous one, against Dundee United 23 years later, became marred (to put it politely) by the bribing of a match official. In those days, Scottish clubs could vie with the top sides in Europe. This season has seen the co-efficient plunge to a point 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. Martin’s ghastly tenure as the head coach lasted 123 days in the initial phase of this season. Röhl, the recent appointment at the helm, has displayed potential albeit within a tiny sample size. The technical areas saw a clash of generations; Röhl is thirty-six, his opposite number Gian Piero Gasperini is sixty-seven.

A further factor was far more striking as the sides lined up. The home team’s glaring lack of height against the Italians looked worrying. This point was proven within the opening quarter-hour as Bryan Cristante comfortably flicked on a set-piece at the front post. At the back, Matías Soulé sprinted into space to fire Roma ahead. A Roma team without the injured their young striker and Paulo Dybala, who have been questioned for lack of cutting edge even with reasonable results in the tournament, were delighted with their early advantage.

The Ibrox side should have levelled matters instantly. Rather, Youssef Chermiti sent his effort off target after a mix-up in the Roma defence. The player’s £8m signing from Everton has increased scrutiny of the Rangers transfer hierarchy. Chermiti possesses at least the physique to be an effective striker but seems unwilling or unable to use them.

The Italian outfit dominated opening period the ball from that point. They extended their advantage through their captain, whose curling shot into the bottom corner of the goalkeeper’s net came after a pass from Artem Dovbyk. The hosts will lament the fact Pellegrini stood in complete freedom but it was a superb strike. Ibrox, usually a raucous place on continental evenings, had been silenced with time still remaining until halftime. Even the boos which met the interval were timid; Rangers were simply in the midst of being overwhelmed.

After the break began against a curious backdrop. Supporters turned their attentions 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 bullseyes on their images. One wonders what the club owner thinks about the situation. After all, Andrew Cavenagh had an low-profile life as a successful businessman in the US before fronting a acquisition of Rangers. Fans have not turned on Cavenagh so far but there is a rebellious mood around the club. This is easy to understand; Rangers’ management is completely unconvincing.

Right on cue, the striker was played in on the keeper on the 60-minute mark and hit the outside of the goal. This actually triggered Rangers’ finest spell of the match, in which their replacement Thelo Aasgaard fired just wide. It was, nonetheless, hard to determine the visitors’ remaining offensive intent until Zeki Celik was presented with a chance all of a yard out which he somehow lifted and onto the bottom of the bar.

That opportunity as far as meaningful opportunity were concerned. 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 Roma perfectly. There was cause to ponder how exactly the Glasgow club, runners-up in this tournament in recently and strong enough of the quarter-finals a season ago, arrived at the point of making up the numbers.