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Roma displayed impressive effectiveness about the way the Italian side dealt with this journey to Scotland. Without much drama. Roma from Italy’s capital did, nonetheless, face manageable rivals when placing their Europa League bid on the right path. Observers noted a glaring gulf in quality between Roma and a the Scottish team squad that has now lost a club record seven European games in a row.

To their credit, the home side at least huffed and puffed during a later period when surrender felt the more likely outcome. However, the match was decided as a contest by then. The Scottish club remain anchored at the foot of the Europa League, which should represent an embarrassment to a club of such stature. The Giallorossi have ambitions 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 represented only Roma’s second-ever continental encounter with Scottish opposition since Fairs Cup business with Hibernian in 1961. Their last such match, against Dundee United 23 years later, became marred (to put it mildly) by the bribing of a referee. In those days, teams from Scotland could compete with the best in the continent. This season has seen the UEFA coefficient drop to a point that will soon have major ramifications.

The new manager’s main quality so far as the fanbase are see it is that he isn’t his predecessor. Martin’s dismal tenure as the manager lasted just over four months 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 the Roma manager is sixty-seven.

Another element was far more striking as the sides lined up. Rangers’ obvious lack of height against the Italians looked ominous. This point was proven within 13 minutes as Bryan Cristante comfortably redirected a set-piece at the near post. Following up, Matías Soulé sprinted into space to fire his team in front. The visitors without the injured their young striker and Paulo Dybala, who have been criticised for lack of cutting edge despite reasonable performances in the tournament, were pleased with their early advantage.

Rangers should have equalised immediately. Instead, Youssef Chermiti sent his effort off target after a mix-up in the Roma defence. The player’s eight-million-pound purchase from Everton has piled pressure on the Rangers transfer hierarchy. He has at least the physical attributes to be an productive centre forward but seems reluctant or incapable to use them.

The Italian outfit controlled opening period possession thereafter. Roma extended their advantage through their captain, whose curling shot into the far post of Jack Butland’s net came after a lay off from Artem Dovbyk. The hosts will lament the fact Pellegrini stood in blissful isolation but it was a superb strike. Ibrox, typically a boisterous venue on continental evenings, had been silenced with time still remaining until halftime. Even the boos which greeted the interval were timid; the home team were clearly in the process of being overwhelmed.

After the break started against a curious atmosphere. Supporters turned their attentions once again towards the top executive, the CEO, and transfer chief, the director. Two banners, obviously sinister in message, showed the pair with targets on their images. One wonders what the club owner makes of all this. After all, the chairman had an low-profile life as a successful businessman in the US before fronting a acquisition of this club. Paying punters have not turned on Cavenagh so far but there is a mutinous feeling in the air. This is easy to understand; Rangers’ leadership is wholly unimpressive.

Right on cue, the striker was played in on goal on the 60-minute mark and found only the outside of the goal. This actually triggered Rangers’ finest spell of the game, in which their replacement Thelo Aasgaard fired just wide. Yet, nonetheless, hard to gauge the visitors’ remaining attacking motivation until the full-back was given a opportunity from close range which he somehow lifted and onto the underside of the bar.

That was it as far as clear-cut opportunity were involved. The raft of substitutions from each side meant this fixture closed more in the fashion of a pre-season friendly than serious contest. This of course suited Roma fine. There was cause to consider how on earth the Glasgow club, finalists in this tournament in 2022 and strong enough of the quarter-finals a last year, reached the stage of just participating.