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Roma displayed admirable efficiency about the way Roma handled this journey to Glasgow. Without much drama. Roma from Italy’s capital did, nonetheless, face manageable rivals when putting their European competition bid back on track. There was a glaring gulf in quality between Roma and a Rangers squad that has now lost a team record seven European games consecutively.

To their credit, the home side at least fought hard during a second half when capitulation felt the more likely outcome. Yet, the match was settled as a contest at that stage. The Scottish club remain anchored at the foot of the Europa League, which should constitute an disgrace to a team of this standing. The Giallorossi have eyes once more on achieving significant success. One slight disappointment here was in not producing a scoreline appropriately depicting men against boys.

Surprisingly, this represented only Roma’s second-ever continental encounter with a team from Scotland since Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibernian in the early 60s. The previous one, against the Terrors over two decades later, became marred (to put it politely) by the corruption of a referee. Back then, teams from Scotland could compete with the top sides in Europe. The current campaign has seen the co-efficient plunge to a level that will shortly have huge ramifications.

The new manager’s key attribute up to now as the fanbase are see it is that he is not his predecessor. Martin’s ghastly spell as the manager lasted just over four months in the initial phase of this season. The German coach, the recent appointment at the helm, has shown promise albeit within a limited timeframe. The dugouts saw a generation game; Röhl is 36, his counterpart Gian Piero Gasperini is sixty-seven.

A further factor was much more noticeable as the teams took the field. Rangers’ glaring short stature against the visitors looked ominous. This point was proven within the opening quarter-hour as Bryan Cristante easily flicked on a set-piece at the near post. Following up, Matías Soulé burst forward to fire his team ahead. The visitors minus the injured their young striker and their star attacker, who have been questioned for bluntness despite decent results in this campaign, were delighted with their early advantage.

The Ibrox side could have equalised immediately. Rather, Youssef Chermiti sent his effort off target after a defensive error in the visitors’ backline. The player’s £8m signing from Everton has increased scrutiny of the Rangers transfer hierarchy. He has at least the physique to be an effective centre forward but appears reluctant or incapable to use them.

Roma dominated opening period possession from that point. Roma extended their advantage through their captain, whose curling shot into the bottom corner of Jack Butland’s net arrived after a pass from the Ukrainian forward. Rangers will bemoan the fact the midfielder was left in blissful isolation but it was a gorgeous strike. The stadium, usually a raucous venue on European nights, had been silenced nine minutes before the break. 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 curious backdrop. Those Rangers fans 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, showed the pair with targets on their faces. One wonders what the club owner makes of all this. After all, the chairman enjoyed an low-profile career as a wealthy entrepreneur in the US before fronting a acquisition of this club. Paying punters have not targeted the owner so far but there is a rebellious mood in the air. It is one which is unsurprising; Rangers’ management is wholly unconvincing.

Right on cue, Chermiti was sent through on goal on the 60-minute mark and hit the side netting. That moment sparked the home side’s best period of the game, in which their replacement Thelo Aasgaard fired just wide. It was, nonetheless, difficult to gauge the visitors’ remaining offensive intent until Zeki Celik was presented with a chance from close range which he inexplicably hit up and onto the underside of the bar.

That opportunity as far as meaningful opportunity were involved. The raft of substitutions from each side resulted in this fixture closed more in the style of a summer exhibition than serious contest. This of course suited the Italians perfectly. There was cause to consider how exactly Rangers, finalists in this tournament in 2022 and worthy of the last eight a season ago, reached the point of just participating.