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Roma displayed admirable efficiency in the way Roma handled this trip to Glasgow. Without much drama. Roma from Italy’s capital did, nonetheless, meet favourable opposition when putting their Europa League bid back on track. There was a glaring gulf in quality between the Serie A outfit and a the Scottish team side that has now suffered defeat in a club record seven continental matches in a row.

Positively, Rangers at least huffed and puffed during a second half when surrender felt the probable option. However, the game was decided as a contest by then. Rangers remain anchored at the bottom of the Europa League, which should represent an disgrace to a club of this standing. The Giallorossi 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.

Amazingly, this marked only Roma’s second continental encounter with a team from Scotland since Fairs Cup business with Hibernian in 1961. Their last such match, against the Terrors 23 years later, became overshadowed (to put it politely) by the corruption of a referee. In those days, teams from Scotland could compete with the top sides in Europe. The current campaign has seen the UEFA coefficient plunge to a level that will shortly have major ramifications.

Danny Röhl’s key attribute so far as the Rangers support are concerned is that he is not his predecessor. The latter’s ghastly tenure as the head coach lasted 123 days in the initial phase of the campaign. The German coach, the new man at the helm, has displayed potential albeit within a tiny sample size. The dugouts witnessed a generation game; Röhl is thirty-six, his counterpart Gian Piero Gasperini is 67.

A further factor was far more striking as the teams took the field. Rangers’ obvious lack of height against the Italians looked ominous. This point was proven within the opening quarter-hour as Bryan Cristante easily flicked on a corner at the near post. Following up, Matías Soulé burst forward to knock his team ahead. A Roma team minus the unavailable Evan Ferguson and Paulo Dybala, who have been criticised for bluntness despite reasonable results in this campaign, were pleased with their early advantage.

Rangers could have levelled matters instantly. Instead, Youssef Chermiti sent his effort off target after a mix-up in the Roma defence. The player’s eight-million-pound signing from the Toffees has piled pressure on the Rangers transfer hierarchy. Chermiti possesses at least the physique to be an productive centre forward but appears unwilling or unable to utilize them fully.

Roma dominated opening period possession thereafter. Roma extended their advantage through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose bent effort into the bottom corner of Jack Butland’s net came after a pass from Artem Dovbyk. Rangers will bemoan the fact Pellegrini was left in complete freedom but it was a gorgeous strike. The stadium, usually a raucous place on European nights, had been silenced with time still remaining until halftime. Even the boos which greeted the half-time whistle were timid; Rangers were clearly in the midst of being overwhelmed.

After the break started against a curious backdrop. Supporters directed their focus once again towards the top executive, Patrick Stewart, and sporting director, Kevin Thelwell. Two banners, obviously menacing in tone, depicted the duo with bullseyes on their faces. One wonders what the Rangers chairman makes of all this. After all, the chairman had an anonymous life as a successful businessman in the United States before fronting a takeover of Rangers. Paying punters have not turned on Cavenagh so far but there is a mutinous mood around the club. This is easy to understand; The team’s leadership is wholly unimpressive.

As if scripted, Chermiti was sent through on the keeper on the 60-minute mark and hit the outside of the goal. This actually triggered the home side’s finest spell of the match, in which their replacement Thelo Aasgaard fired just wide. Yet, however, hard to determine the visitors’ continued offensive intent until Zeki Celik was presented with a chance all of a yard out which he inexplicably lifted and on to the bottom of the crossbar.

That was it as far as meaningful chances were involved. The raft of substitutions from both teams resulted in this game ended more in the style of a pre-season friendly than competitive match. This of course suited the Italians fine. It prompted reflection to ponder how on earth Rangers, runners-up in this tournament in recently and worthy of the quarter-finals a last year, arrived at the point of making up the numbers.