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Roma displayed admirable efficiency about the way the Italian side handled this trip to Scotland. Without much drama. Roma from Italy’s capital did, however, face manageable rivals 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 squad that has now lost a team record seven European games in a row.

To their credit, Rangers at least huffed and puffed during a second half when capitulation felt the probable option. Yet, the game was decided as a competition at that stage. The Scottish club remain rooted to the bottom of the Europa League, which should represent an disgrace to a club of such stature. The Giallorossi have eyes once more on achieving significant success. One slight disappointment in this match was in not delivering a scoreline that truly reflected the mismatch in quality.

Amazingly, this marked only Roma’s second continental encounter with Scottish opposition since the historic Fairs Cup business with Hibs 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 referee. Back then, Scottish clubs could compete with the best in the continent. The current campaign has seen the co-efficient plunge to a level that will soon have huge ramifications.

Danny Röhl’s main quality up to now as the fanbase are concerned is that he isn’t his predecessor. Martin’s dismal spell as the head coach lasted just over four months in the initial phase of the campaign. Röhl, the new man at the helm, has shown promise though within a tiny sample size. The technical areas saw a clash of generations; Röhl is 36, his counterpart Gian Piero Gasperini is 67.

Another element was far more striking as the sides took the field. Rangers’ glaring lack of height against the Italians looked worrying. This point was confirmed within the opening quarter-hour as the Roma midfielder comfortably redirected a corner at the near post. Following up, Matías Soulé sprinted into space to knock Roma in front. A Roma team without the unavailable Evan Ferguson and their star attacker, who have been questioned for lack of cutting edge despite decent results in this campaign, were pleased with their quick lead.

Rangers could have equalised immediately. Rather, the forward sent his effort off target after a defensive error in the visitors’ backline. Chermiti’s £8m signing from Everton has piled pressure on the club’s recruitment team. Chermiti possesses at least the physical attributes to be an effective striker but seems unwilling or unable to utilize them fully.

The Italian outfit dominated first-half possession from that point. They extended their advantage through their captain, whose curling shot into the far post of Jack Butland’s net came after a pass from Artem Dovbyk. Rangers will lament the fact the midfielder was left in blissful isolation but it was a gorgeous strike. The stadium, usually a raucous venue on continental evenings, had been quietened with time still remaining before the break. Even the boos which greeted the half-time whistle were timid; the home team were clearly in the midst of being overwhelmed.

After the break started against a unusual backdrop. Those Rangers fans directed their focus once again towards the top executive, Patrick Stewart, and transfer chief, the director. Two banners, obviously sinister in message, depicted the duo with bullseyes on their images. One wonders what the Rangers chairman thinks about the situation. Ultimately, the chairman enjoyed an low-profile career as a wealthy entrepreneur in the United States before fronting a acquisition of this club. Paying punters have not turned on the owner yet but there is a mutinous feeling around the club. It is one which is unsurprising; Rangers’ leadership is wholly unimpressive.

As if scripted, the striker 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 game, in which their substitute the young midfielder fired just wide. Yet, however, hard to gauge the visitors’ remaining attacking motivation until the full-back was presented with a chance from close range which he somehow lifted and onto the underside of the crossbar.

That opportunity as far as clear-cut opportunity were involved. The series of changes from each side resulted in this fixture ended more in the fashion of a summer exhibition than competitive match. That scenario benefited the Italians fine. It prompted reflection to ponder how on earth the Glasgow club, runners-up in this competition in 2022 and worthy of the quarter-finals a season ago, reached the point of making up the numbers.