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Roma displayed admirable efficiency in the way Roma handled this trip to Glasgow. Minimum of fuss. Roma from Rome did, nonetheless, face manageable rivals when putting their European competition bid back on track. Observers noted a glaring gulf in quality between the Serie A outfit and a Rangers side that has now lost a team record seven continental matches consecutively.

To their credit, the home side at least huffed and puffed during a later period when capitulation felt the more likely option. However, the match was settled as a competition at that stage. The Scottish club remain rooted to the foot of the Europa League, which should constitute an embarrassment to a team of this standing. The Giallorossi have eyes again on achieving significant success. One slight disappointment here was in not delivering a result appropriately depicting the mismatch in quality.

Surprisingly, this marked only the Roman club’s second European joust with a team from Scotland since the historic Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibernian in 1961. The previous one, against the Terrors over two decades later, became overshadowed (to put it politely) by the corruption 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 soon have huge consequences.

Danny Röhl’s key attribute so far as the Rangers support are see it is that he is not Russell Martin. Martin’s dismal tenure as the head coach continued for just over four months in the early part of this season. The German coach, the recent appointment at the helm, has shown promise albeit within a tiny sample size. The technical areas saw a generation game; the Rangers boss is thirty-six, his counterpart Gian Piero Gasperini is 67.

A further factor was much more noticeable as the sides took the field. Rangers’ glaring short stature against the Italians looked ominous. That concern was proven within the opening quarter-hour as Bryan Cristante easily flicked on a set-piece at the front post. Following up, Matías Soulé burst forward to fire his team ahead. The visitors without the unavailable their young striker and Paulo Dybala, who have been criticised for lack of cutting edge despite reasonable results in the tournament, were delighted with their early advantage.

The Ibrox side should have equalised instantly. Rather, the forward screwed his shot wide after a mix-up in the visitors’ backline. Chermiti’s £8m purchase from Everton has piled pressure on the club’s recruitment team. Chermiti possesses at least the physique to be an productive centre forward but seems unwilling or unable to utilize them fully.

The Italian outfit dominated first-half the ball from that point. They extended their advantage through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose curling shot into the bottom corner of the goalkeeper’s net arrived after a lay off from Artem Dovbyk. The hosts will lament the fact the midfielder stood in blissful isolation but it was a gorgeous strike. Ibrox, typically a boisterous venue on continental evenings, had been quietened with time still remaining until halftime. Even the boos which greeted the half-time whistle were subdued; Rangers were clearly in the midst of being outclassed.

The second period began against a unusual atmosphere. Supporters turned their attentions once again towards the top executive, Patrick Stewart, and sporting director, the director. Two banners, obviously menacing in message, depicted the pair with targets on their faces. One wonders what the club owner makes of all this. After all, Andrew Cavenagh enjoyed an low-profile life as a successful businessman in the United States before fronting a takeover of this club. Fans have not turned on the owner yet but there is a rebellious mood around the club. This is easy to understand; Rangers’ management is completely unconvincing.

As if scripted, Chermiti was played in on the keeper on the hour mark and found only the outside of the goal. That moment sparked the home side’s best period of the match, in which their replacement Thelo Aasgaard shot narrowly past the post. Yet, however, difficult to gauge Roma’s remaining attacking motivation until the full-back was presented with a chance all of a yard out which he inexplicably lifted and onto the underside of the bar.

That opportunity as far as clear-cut chances were concerned. The series of changes from each side meant this fixture closed more in the style of a pre-season friendly than competitive match. That scenario benefited Roma perfectly. It prompted reflection to consider how exactly Rangers, runners-up in this tournament in recently and worthy of the quarter-finals a last year, arrived at the stage of making up the numbers.