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Roma displayed admirable efficiency about the way the Italian side handled this trip to Scotland. Without much drama. Roma from Rome did, nonetheless, face manageable rivals when putting their Europa League bid back on track. There was a glaring difference in class between Roma and a the Scottish team side that has now lost a team record seven European games consecutively.

Positively, Rangers at least huffed and puffed during a later period when capitulation felt the more likely outcome. Yet, the match was decided as a competition by then. The Scottish club remain anchored at the bottom of the tournament, which should represent an disgrace to a club of this standing. Roma have eyes again on making proper impact. One slight disappointment in this match was in not delivering a result that truly reflected the mismatch in quality.

Surprisingly, this represented only the Roman club’s second-ever European joust with a team from Scotland since Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibernian in 1961. The previous one, against the Terrors over two decades later, became marred (to put it politely) by the bribing of a referee. In those days, Scottish clubs could compete with the best in Europe. This season has seen the co-efficient plunge to a point that will shortly have major consequences.

Danny Röhl’s key attribute so far as the Rangers support are see it is that he is not Russell Martin. The latter’s dismal spell as the manager continued for just over four months in the initial phase of the campaign. Röhl, the recent appointment at the helm, has displayed potential albeit within a limited timeframe. The technical areas witnessed a clash of generations; Röhl is thirty-six, his counterpart the Roma manager is sixty-seven.

Another element was far more striking as the sides lined up. The home team’s obvious short stature against the visitors looked worrying. This point was confirmed within 13 minutes as Bryan Cristante comfortably flicked on a set-piece at the near post. At the back, the Argentine winger sprinted into space to knock his team in front. A Roma team minus the unavailable their young striker and their star attacker, who have been questioned for bluntness even with decent results in this campaign, were pleased with their quick lead.

Rangers could have levelled matters instantly. Rather, Youssef Chermiti sent his effort off target after a mix-up in the Roma defence. The player’s £8m purchase from Everton has piled pressure on the Rangers transfer hierarchy. Chermiti possesses at least the physical attributes to be an productive centre forward but seems reluctant or incapable to use them.

The Italian outfit dominated first-half the ball thereafter. Roma extended their advantage through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose curling shot into the bottom corner of Jack Butland’s net came after a pass from Artem Dovbyk. The hosts will bemoan the fact the midfielder stood in complete freedom but it was a gorgeous strike. The stadium, typically a boisterous venue on European nights, had been silenced nine minutes before the break. The discontent which greeted the half-time whistle were subdued; the home team were clearly in the process of being outclassed.

After the break started against a unusual atmosphere. Supporters directed their focus once again towards the club’s chief executive, the CEO, and sporting director, the director. A pair of displays, obviously menacing in tone, depicted the pair with targets on their images. It raises questions what the club owner makes of all this. After all, Andrew Cavenagh had an anonymous life as a successful businessman in the United States before leading a acquisition of Rangers. Fans have not turned on the owner so far but there is a mutinous mood around the club. It is one which is unsurprising; Rangers’ management is wholly unimpressive.

As if scripted, the striker was played in on the keeper on the hour mark and hit the outside of the goal. This actually triggered Rangers’ finest spell of the match, in which their substitute Thelo Aasgaard fired just wide. Yet, nonetheless, difficult to gauge Roma’s continued attacking motivation until Zeki Celik was given a opportunity all of a yard out which he inexplicably hit up and on to the underside of the bar.

That opportunity as far as meaningful opportunity were concerned. The raft of substitutions from both teams meant this fixture closed more in the fashion of a summer exhibition than competitive match. This of course suited Roma perfectly. There was cause to consider how on earth Rangers, finalists in this tournament in recently and worthy of the quarter-finals a last year, arrived at the stage of making up the numbers.