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Roma displayed admirable efficiency about the way Roma dealt with this trip to Glasgow. Minimum of fuss. The team from Rome did, nonetheless, meet favourable opposition when placing their European competition bid on the right path. There was a obvious difference in class between Roma and a the Scottish team squad that has now suffered defeat in a team record seven continental matches in a row.

To their credit, Rangers at least fought hard during a later period when capitulation felt the probable option. Yet, the match was decided as a contest at that stage. The Scottish club remain rooted to the foot of the Europa League, which should constitute an disgrace to a club of such stature. The Giallorossi have eyes again on achieving significant success. One slight disappointment in this match was in not producing a result that truly reflected the mismatch in quality.

Surprisingly, this marked only Roma’s second continental encounter with Scottish opposition since the historic Fairs Cup business with Hibernian in 1961. Their last such match, against the Terrors over two decades later, became marred (to put it mildly) by the corruption of a match official. Back then, Scottish clubs could compete with the best in the continent. This season has seen the co-efficient plunge to a level that will soon have major ramifications.

Danny Röhl’s key attribute up to now as the fanbase are see it is that he is not Russell Martin. The latter’s ghastly spell as the manager continued for 123 days in the early part of the campaign. The German coach, the new man at the helm, has displayed potential though within a limited timeframe. The technical areas saw a generation game; Röhl is thirty-six, his counterpart Gian Piero Gasperini is 67.

Another element was much more noticeable as the teams lined up. The home team’s glaring lack of height against the Italians looked worrying. This point was confirmed within the opening quarter-hour as Bryan Cristante easily redirected a corner at the near post. Following up, Matías Soulé sprinted into space to fire his team in front. The visitors minus the injured their young striker and their star attacker, who have been criticised for lack of cutting edge even with decent results in this campaign, were delighted with their quick lead.

The Ibrox side should have equalised instantly. Instead, the forward screwed his shot wide after a defensive error in the Roma defence. The player’s £8m signing from the Toffees has piled pressure on the Rangers transfer hierarchy. He has at least the physical attributes to be an effective centre forward but seems reluctant or incapable to utilize them fully.

The Italian outfit controlled opening period possession from that point. Roma extended their advantage through their captain, whose curling shot into the far post of Jack Butland’s net arrived after a pass from the Ukrainian forward. The hosts will lament the fact the midfielder was left in blissful isolation but it was a superb finish. Ibrox, typically a boisterous venue on European nights, had been silenced with time still remaining until halftime. The discontent which greeted the interval were timid; the home team were simply in the midst of being overwhelmed.

After the break began against a unusual backdrop. Those Rangers fans directed their focus once again towards the top executive, the CEO, and sporting director, the director. A pair of displays, clearly sinister in message, showed the pair with targets on their faces. It raises questions what the club owner thinks about all this. After all, Andrew Cavenagh enjoyed an low-profile life as a wealthy entrepreneur in the United States before fronting a acquisition of Rangers. Fans have not targeted the owner yet but there is a rebellious feeling around the club. It is one which is easy to understand; Rangers’ leadership is completely unconvincing.

As if scripted, Chermiti was sent through on goal on the hour mark and found only the side netting. This actually triggered the home side’s best period of the match, in which their replacement Thelo Aasgaard shot narrowly past the post. Yet, nonetheless, hard to determine the visitors’ continued offensive intent until the full-back was given a opportunity all of a yard out which he somehow hit up and on to the bottom of the crossbar.

That opportunity as far as clear-cut chances were involved. The series of substitutions from each side meant this fixture ended more in the style of a pre-season friendly than serious contest. This of course suited the Italians perfectly. There was cause to ponder how exactly Rangers, runners-up in this competition in recently and worthy of the quarter-finals a season ago, reached the stage of making up the numbers.