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Roma displayed admirable efficiency about the way the Italian side 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. There was a glaring gulf in quality between the Serie A outfit and a the Scottish team squad that has now suffered defeat in a team record seven continental matches consecutively.

To their credit, the home side at least huffed and puffed during a later period when surrender felt the more likely option. Yet, the game was settled as a contest by then. Rangers remain anchored at the bottom of the tournament, which should constitute an disgrace to a club of such stature. Roma have ambitions once more on achieving significant success. One slight disappointment here was in not producing a result that truly reflected the mismatch in quality.

Amazingly, this marked only the Roman club’s second-ever continental encounter with Scottish opposition since the historic Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibs in the early 60s. Their last such match, against Dundee United over two decades later, became overshadowed (to put it politely) by the bribing of a match official. In those days, teams from Scotland could compete with the top sides in Europe. This season has seen the UEFA coefficient drop to a level that will shortly have major consequences.

Danny Röhl’s main quality so far as the fanbase are see it is that he isn’t his predecessor. Martin’s ghastly spell as the head coach continued for just over four months in the early part of the campaign. The German coach, the new man at the helm, has displayed potential albeit within a tiny sample size. The technical areas witnessed a clash of generations; Röhl is thirty-six, his counterpart the Roma manager is 67.

Another element was much more noticeable as the sides lined up. Rangers’ glaring short stature against the visitors looked worrying. That concern was confirmed within the opening quarter-hour as Bryan Cristante easily flicked on a set-piece at the front post. Following up, the Argentine winger sprinted into space to knock Roma ahead. A Roma team minus the unavailable their young striker and their star attacker, who have been criticised for bluntness despite reasonable results in the tournament, were pleased with their early advantage.

Rangers should have levelled matters immediately. Instead, Youssef Chermiti screwed his shot wide after a mix-up in the visitors’ backline. Chermiti’s eight-million-pound purchase from Everton has increased scrutiny of the club’s recruitment team. Chermiti possesses at least the physique to be an productive striker but seems reluctant or incapable to use them.

Roma controlled first-half the ball from that point. Roma doubled their lead through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose curling shot into the bottom corner of the goalkeeper’s net arrived after a pass from the Ukrainian forward. The hosts will bemoan the fact the midfielder stood in complete freedom but it was a gorgeous strike. The stadium, typically a raucous venue on continental evenings, had been quietened with time still remaining until halftime. Even the boos which greeted the interval were timid; the home team were simply in the midst of being outclassed.

After the break began against a unusual backdrop. Supporters directed their focus for the latest time towards the club’s chief executive, the CEO, and sporting director, the director. Two banners, obviously sinister in tone, depicted the pair with bullseyes on their images. It raises questions what the club owner makes of all this. Ultimately, Andrew Cavenagh had an anonymous career as a successful businessman in the United States before fronting a acquisition of Rangers. Fans have not targeted Cavenagh yet but there is a rebellious mood around the club. It is one which is unsurprising; The team’s management is completely unimpressive.

Right on cue, the striker was sent through on the keeper on the hour mark and hit the outside of the goal. That moment sparked Rangers’ finest spell of the game, in which their replacement Thelo Aasgaard shot narrowly past the post. Yet, however, difficult to gauge the visitors’ continued attacking motivation until Zeki Celik was given a opportunity all of a yard out which he somehow hit up and onto the bottom of the crossbar.

That opportunity as far as clear-cut opportunity were involved. The series of substitutions from both teams resulted in this game closed more in the fashion of a summer exhibition than serious contest. That scenario benefited the Italians fine. It prompted reflection to consider how exactly Rangers, runners-up in this competition in recently and strong enough of the quarter-finals a last year, reached the stage of making up the numbers.