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There was impressive effectiveness about the way the Italian side handled this journey to Scotland. Without much drama. The team from Italy’s capital did, nonetheless, meet favourable opposition when placing their Europa League bid back on track. There was a glaring difference in class between the Serie A outfit and a Rangers squad that has now suffered defeat in a club record seven European games consecutively.

Positively, the home side at least huffed and puffed during a later period when surrender felt the more likely option. However, the game was settled as a competition at that stage. Rangers remain rooted to the bottom of the tournament, which should represent an disgrace to a team of such stature. The Giallorossi have ambitions again on making proper impact. One slight disappointment here was in not delivering a scoreline that truly reflected men against boys.

Amazingly, this marked only Roma’s second-ever continental encounter with Scottish opposition since Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibernian in the early 60s. Their last such match, against the Terrors 23 years later, became marred (to put it mildly) by the corruption of a referee. In those days, teams from Scotland could vie with the top sides in the continent. The current campaign has seen the UEFA coefficient plunge to a point that will soon have huge consequences.

Danny Röhl’s main quality up to now as the fanbase are concerned is that he isn’t his predecessor. The latter’s ghastly spell as the manager continued for just over four months in the early part of this season. The German coach, the recent appointment at the helm, has displayed potential though within a tiny sample size. The technical areas saw a clash of generations; the Rangers boss is thirty-six, his counterpart Gian Piero Gasperini is 67.

A further factor was far more striking as the teams lined up. The home team’s obvious lack of height against the visitors looked ominous. This point was proven within 13 minutes as Bryan Cristante easily redirected a set-piece at the front post. Following up, the Argentine winger burst forward to knock Roma in front. The visitors without the injured their young striker and Paulo Dybala, who have been questioned for bluntness even with reasonable performances in this campaign, were delighted with their early advantage.

The Ibrox side could have equalised instantly. Rather, the forward sent his effort off target after a mix-up in the visitors’ backline. The player’s £8m signing from the Toffees has piled pressure on the club’s recruitment team. Chermiti possesses at least the physical attributes to be an effective striker but appears reluctant or incapable to utilize them fully.

The Italian outfit controlled first-half the ball thereafter. They extended their advantage through their captain, whose bent effort into the bottom corner of Jack Butland’s net arrived after a pass from Artem Dovbyk. Rangers will lament the fact Pellegrini was left in complete freedom but it was a superb finish. Ibrox, typically a boisterous venue on continental evenings, had been silenced with time still remaining before the break. Even the boos which greeted the interval were timid; Rangers were simply in the midst of being overwhelmed.

After the break began against a unusual atmosphere. Those Rangers fans directed their focus once again towards the club’s chief executive, the CEO, and sporting director, the director. A pair of displays, clearly menacing in tone, showed the pair with targets on their images. One wonders what the club owner makes of the situation. Ultimately, Andrew Cavenagh enjoyed an low-profile life as a successful businessman in the United States before fronting a takeover of Rangers. Paying punters have not targeted Cavenagh yet but there is a mutinous feeling around the club. It is one which is unsurprising; Rangers’ leadership is completely unimpressive.

Right on cue, Chermiti was sent through on the keeper on the 60-minute mark and hit the side netting. This actually triggered the home side’s finest spell of the game, in which their replacement the young midfielder shot narrowly past the post. It was, however, hard to gauge the visitors’ continued attacking motivation until the full-back was given a opportunity all of a yard out which he somehow lifted and onto the underside of the crossbar.

That opportunity as far as clear-cut chances were involved. The series of changes from each side meant this game closed more in the fashion of a summer exhibition than serious contest. This of course suited the Italians perfectly. There was cause to ponder how on earth the Glasgow club, finalists in this tournament in recently and worthy of the last eight a season ago, reached the point of making up the numbers.