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Roma displayed impressive effectiveness about the way the Italian side dealt with this journey to Glasgow. Without much drama. The team from Rome did, nonetheless, face manageable rivals when placing their Europa League bid back on track. There was a obvious gulf in quality between the Serie A outfit and a Rangers side that has now suffered defeat in a club record seven continental matches consecutively.

Positively, Rangers at least huffed and puffed during a second half when surrender felt the probable outcome. However, the match was decided as a contest by then. The Scottish club remain rooted to the bottom of the Europa League, which should represent an embarrassment to a club of such stature. The Giallorossi have eyes again on achieving significant success. One slight disappointment here was in not producing a result that truly reflected the mismatch in quality.

Amazingly, this represented only Roma’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 the Terrors 23 years later, became marred (to put it politely) by the corruption of a match official. In those days, teams from Scotland could compete with the best in the continent. This season has seen the co-efficient drop to a point that will soon have major consequences.

The new manager’s key attribute so far as the fanbase are concerned is that he is not his predecessor. Martin’s dismal spell as the head coach lasted 123 days in the early part of this season. Röhl, the recent appointment at the helm, has shown promise though within a tiny sample size. The dugouts witnessed a generation game; Röhl is 36, his opposite number the Roma manager is sixty-seven.

A further factor was much more noticeable as the teams took the field. The home team’s glaring lack of height against the visitors looked ominous. This point was proven within the opening quarter-hour as the Roma midfielder comfortably redirected a corner at the near post. At the back, the Argentine winger burst forward to fire Roma ahead. The visitors minus the injured Evan Ferguson and Paulo Dybala, who have been criticised for bluntness even with decent results in the tournament, were delighted with their quick lead.

The Ibrox side could have levelled matters immediately. Rather, the forward sent his effort off target after a mix-up in the visitors’ backline. The player’s £8m signing from Everton has increased scrutiny of the Rangers transfer hierarchy. He has at least the physical attributes to be an productive striker but appears reluctant or incapable to utilize them fully.

Roma dominated first-half the ball thereafter. Roma doubled their lead through their captain, whose bent effort into the far post of Jack Butland’s net arrived after a lay off from the Ukrainian forward. Rangers will lament the fact Pellegrini was left in complete freedom but it was a gorgeous finish. The stadium, usually a raucous venue on continental evenings, had been quietened with time still remaining before the break. The discontent which greeted the half-time whistle were timid; Rangers were simply in the midst of being overwhelmed.

The second period began against a unusual atmosphere. Those Rangers fans directed their focus once again towards the top executive, the CEO, and sporting director, Kevin Thelwell. Two banners, clearly menacing in tone, depicted the pair with targets on their faces. One wonders what the Rangers chairman thinks about all this. After all, the chairman enjoyed an anonymous career as a wealthy entrepreneur in the US before fronting a acquisition of Rangers. Fans have not turned on Cavenagh yet but there is a mutinous feeling around the club. This is unsurprising; Rangers’ leadership is completely unconvincing.

Right on cue, the striker was played in on the keeper on the hour mark and found only the side netting. That moment sparked Rangers’ finest spell of the match, in which their substitute Thelo Aasgaard shot narrowly past the post. It was, however, difficult to determine Roma’s remaining attacking motivation until Zeki Celik was presented with a opportunity all of a yard out which he somehow lifted and on to the bottom of the crossbar.

That was it as far as clear-cut chances were involved. The raft of substitutions from each side resulted in this fixture ended more in the style of a summer exhibition than competitive match. That scenario benefited the Italians perfectly. There was cause to ponder how exactly the Glasgow club, finalists in this competition in 2022 and worthy of the last eight a season ago, arrived at the stage of making up the numbers.