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There was impressive effectiveness in the way Roma dealt with this journey to Glasgow. Minimum of fuss. Roma from Italy’s capital did, however, face manageable rivals when placing their European competition bid back on track. Observers noted a obvious difference in class between the Serie A outfit and a the Scottish team squad that has now lost a club record seven continental matches consecutively.

To their credit, the home side at least huffed and puffed during a later period when capitulation felt the more likely option. However, the game was settled as a competition at that stage. Rangers remain anchored at the foot of the tournament, which should represent an disgrace to a team of this standing. The Giallorossi have eyes once more on making proper impact. Their only regret in this match was in not delivering a result appropriately depicting the mismatch in quality.

Surprisingly, this marked only Roma’s second continental encounter with Scottish opposition since Fairs Cup business with Hibernian in 1961. The previous one, against Dundee United 23 years later, became overshadowed (to put it politely) by the bribing of a match official. Back then, teams from Scotland could compete with the top sides in Europe. This season has seen the co-efficient drop to a point that will shortly have major consequences.

The new manager’s main quality up to now as the fanbase are concerned is that he is not Russell Martin. Martin’s dismal tenure as the head coach continued for 123 days in the early part of the campaign. Röhl, the recent appointment at the helm, has shown promise albeit within a limited timeframe. The technical areas witnessed a clash of generations; Röhl is 36, his counterpart Gian Piero Gasperini is 67.

Another element was far more striking as the teams lined up. Rangers’ glaring lack of height against the Italians looked ominous. That concern was proven within the opening quarter-hour as Bryan Cristante comfortably flicked on a corner at the near post. Following up, Matías Soulé sprinted into space to knock his team ahead. The visitors without the injured Evan Ferguson and their star attacker, who have been questioned for bluntness even with decent results in this campaign, were pleased with their quick lead.

Rangers should have equalised immediately. Rather, Youssef Chermiti sent his effort off target after a mix-up in the visitors’ backline. Chermiti’s £8m purchase from Everton has increased scrutiny of the Rangers transfer hierarchy. Chermiti possesses at least the physique to be an productive striker but seems reluctant or incapable to utilize them fully.

Roma dominated first-half the ball thereafter. Roma doubled their lead through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose bent effort into the bottom corner of the goalkeeper’s net arrived after a lay off from the Ukrainian forward. Rangers will lament the fact the midfielder was left in blissful isolation but it was a superb finish. The stadium, typically a boisterous place on European nights, had been silenced nine minutes before the break. Even the boos which met the interval were timid; Rangers were simply in the process of being outclassed.

The second period started against a unusual atmosphere. Those Rangers fans directed their focus once again towards the club’s chief executive, Patrick Stewart, and sporting director, Kevin Thelwell. A pair of displays, obviously sinister in message, depicted the duo with targets on their faces. It raises questions what the Rangers chairman thinks about all this. Ultimately, the chairman had an low-profile career as a wealthy entrepreneur in the United States before fronting a takeover of this club. Fans have not turned on Cavenagh so far but there is a rebellious feeling in the air. It is one which is easy to understand; The team’s management is wholly unconvincing.

As if scripted, the striker was played in on the keeper on the hour mark and found only the outside of the goal. That moment sparked Rangers’ finest spell of the game, in which their substitute Thelo Aasgaard fired just wide. It was, however, hard to gauge the visitors’ remaining attacking motivation until Zeki Celik was presented with a chance from close range which he somehow lifted and onto the underside of the crossbar.

That opportunity as far as clear-cut opportunity were concerned. The series of substitutions from each side meant this fixture ended more in the fashion of a pre-season friendly than serious contest. That scenario benefited Roma perfectly. There was cause to ponder how exactly the Glasgow club, runners-up in this competition in 2022 and strong enough of the last eight a season ago, arrived at the point of making up the numbers.