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Roma displayed admirable efficiency in the way the Italian side dealt with this trip to Scotland. Minimum of fuss. Roma from Rome did, nonetheless, face manageable rivals when putting their European competition bid on the right path. Observers noted a glaring difference in class between the Serie A outfit and a Rangers squad that has now suffered defeat in a club record seven continental matches in a row.

Positively, the home side at least huffed and puffed during a second half when capitulation felt the probable outcome. However, the game was decided as a competition by then. The Scottish club remain rooted to the foot of the tournament, which should constitute an disgrace to a club of this standing. The Giallorossi have eyes again on making proper impact. One slight disappointment in this match was in not delivering a result that truly reflected men against boys.

Surprisingly, this represented only Roma’s second-ever European joust with a team from Scotland since the historic Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibs in the early 60s. Their last such match, against Dundee United over two decades later, became marred (to put it mildly) by the bribing of a referee. Back then, teams from Scotland could vie with the best in the continent. The current campaign has seen the co-efficient drop to a level that will soon have huge ramifications.

The new manager’s main quality up to now as the fanbase are concerned is that he is not his predecessor. The latter’s ghastly spell as the head coach lasted just over four months in the early part of this season. Röhl, the new man at the helm, has shown promise albeit within a tiny sample size. The technical areas witnessed a clash of generations; the Rangers boss is thirty-six, his counterpart the Roma manager is 67.

Another element was much more noticeable as the teams lined up. The home team’s glaring short stature against the Italians looked worrying. That concern was proven within 13 minutes as Bryan Cristante easily redirected a set-piece at the near post. At the back, Matías Soulé burst forward to knock Roma ahead. The visitors minus the unavailable Evan Ferguson and their star attacker, who have been questioned for bluntness even with decent performances in this campaign, were pleased with their early advantage.

The Ibrox side should have equalised immediately. Rather, Youssef Chermiti sent his effort off target after a defensive error in the Roma defence. Chermiti’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 productive striker but appears unwilling or unable to use them.

Roma controlled first-half possession from that point. Roma doubled their lead through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose curling shot into the far post of Jack Butland’s net arrived after a lay off from Artem Dovbyk. The hosts will bemoan the fact the midfielder was left in blissful isolation but it was a superb strike. The stadium, usually a raucous venue on European nights, had been quietened nine minutes until halftime. Even the boos which met the half-time whistle were subdued; the home team were simply in the process of being overwhelmed.

The second period started against a unusual backdrop. Those Rangers fans directed their focus once again towards the top executive, the CEO, and sporting director, the director. A pair of displays, clearly menacing in tone, showed the pair with bullseyes on their images. One wonders what the Rangers chairman thinks about the situation. After all, the chairman had an low-profile life as a wealthy entrepreneur in the US before fronting a acquisition of this club. Paying punters have not targeted Cavenagh so far but there is a rebellious mood around the club. This is unsurprising; Rangers’ management is completely unconvincing.

Right on cue, Chermiti was played in on the keeper on the 60-minute mark and hit the side netting. That moment sparked the home side’s finest spell of the game, in which their replacement the young midfielder shot narrowly past the post. Yet, however, difficult to determine Roma’s remaining attacking motivation until the full-back was presented with a chance from close range which he somehow lifted and on to the bottom of the bar.

That opportunity as far as clear-cut opportunity were concerned. The raft of changes from both teams resulted in this game closed more in the fashion of a summer exhibition than serious contest. That scenario benefited the Italians perfectly. It prompted reflection to consider how on earth the Glasgow club, finalists in this competition in recently and worthy of the quarter-finals a season ago, reached the stage of just participating.