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Roma displayed impressive effectiveness about the way the Italian side dealt with this journey to Scotland. Minimum of fuss. The team from Italy’s capital did, however, face manageable rivals when putting their Europa League bid back on track. There was a obvious gulf in quality between Roma and a Rangers side that has now lost a club record seven continental matches consecutively.

Positively, the home side at least fought hard during a second half when capitulation felt the probable outcome. However, the game was settled as a competition at that stage. Rangers remain rooted to the bottom of the Europa League, which should constitute an embarrassment to a club of such stature. The Giallorossi have ambitions again on achieving significant success. Their only regret here was in not delivering a scoreline appropriately depicting the mismatch in quality.

Amazingly, this marked only the Roman club’s second-ever continental encounter with Scottish opposition since Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibs in 1961. Their last such match, against the Terrors over two decades later, became overshadowed (to put it mildly) by the corruption of a match official. In those days, Scottish clubs could compete with the top sides in Europe. This season has seen the UEFA coefficient drop to a level that will soon have major ramifications.

Danny Röhl’s key attribute so far as the fanbase are concerned is that he isn’t his predecessor. The latter’s dismal spell as the head coach continued for 123 days in the initial phase of the campaign. Röhl, the recent appointment at the helm, has shown promise albeit within a limited timeframe. The technical areas witnessed a generation game; Röhl is 36, his opposite number the Roma manager is sixty-seven.

A further factor was far more striking as the sides took the field. The home team’s obvious lack of height against the Italians looked worrying. This point was confirmed within 13 minutes as the Roma midfielder comfortably flicked on a corner at the front post. At the back, Matías Soulé sprinted into space to fire Roma ahead. The visitors without the injured Evan Ferguson and their star attacker, who have been criticised for bluntness even with decent results in the tournament, were delighted with their early advantage.

The Ibrox side should have levelled matters instantly. Rather, the forward screwed his shot wide after a defensive error in the visitors’ backline. 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 effective striker but seems reluctant or incapable to use them.

The Italian outfit controlled first-half possession thereafter. Roma extended their advantage through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose curling shot into the bottom corner of the goalkeeper’s net came after a lay off from the Ukrainian forward. The hosts will bemoan the fact the midfielder stood in blissful isolation but it was a gorgeous finish. Ibrox, usually a raucous venue on European nights, had been silenced nine minutes until halftime. Even the boos which greeted the half-time whistle were timid; the home team were simply in the midst of being overwhelmed.

The second period started against a curious atmosphere. Those Rangers fans directed their focus for the latest time towards the club’s chief executive, Patrick Stewart, and transfer chief, the director. A pair of displays, obviously menacing in message, showed the duo with targets on their faces. One wonders what the Rangers chairman makes of all this. Ultimately, Andrew Cavenagh had an anonymous life as a wealthy entrepreneur in the United States before fronting a takeover of Rangers. Fans have not turned on the owner yet but there is a rebellious feeling in the air. This is unsurprising; The team’s management is wholly unimpressive.

As if scripted, Chermiti was sent through on the keeper on the hour mark and found only the side netting. This actually triggered Rangers’ finest spell of the match, in which their replacement the young midfielder shot narrowly past the post. Yet, however, hard to gauge Roma’s remaining attacking motivation until Zeki Celik was given a opportunity from close range which he somehow hit up and on to the bottom of the crossbar.

That opportunity as far as meaningful chances were involved. The series of changes from each side resulted in this fixture ended more in the fashion of a summer exhibition than competitive match. This of course suited the Italians fine. It prompted reflection to consider how on earth Rangers, runners-up in this tournament in 2022 and worthy of the last eight a season ago, reached the point of just participating.