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There was impressive effectiveness 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 Rangers squad that has now suffered defeat in a club record seven European games in a row.

To their credit, the home side at least huffed and puffed during a later period when surrender felt the probable outcome. Yet, the match was decided as a competition at that stage. Rangers remain rooted to the bottom of the tournament, which should constitute an disgrace to a club of this standing. The Giallorossi have ambitions once more on achieving significant success. One slight disappointment in this match was in not producing a scoreline appropriately depicting the mismatch in quality.

Surprisingly, this marked only Roma’s second-ever continental encounter with a team from Scotland since the historic Fairs Cup business with Hibernian in the early 60s. Their last such match, against the Terrors 23 years later, became overshadowed (to put it politely) by the corruption of a referee. Back then, teams from Scotland could compete with the best in Europe. The current campaign has seen the UEFA coefficient drop to a level that will shortly have major consequences.

Danny Röhl’s main quality so far as the fanbase are see it is that he isn’t Russell Martin. The latter’s ghastly spell as the head coach continued for just over four months in the early part of this season. The German coach, the new man at the helm, has shown promise though within a limited timeframe. The dugouts saw a generation game; the Rangers boss is thirty-six, his counterpart the Roma manager is 67.

A further factor was much more noticeable as the teams took the field. The home team’s glaring lack of height against the Italians looked ominous. That concern was confirmed within 13 minutes as Bryan Cristante easily flicked on a corner at the near post. At the back, the Argentine winger burst forward to fire his team in front. The visitors minus the injured their young striker and their star attacker, who have been criticised for bluntness even with reasonable performances in this campaign, were delighted with their quick lead.

The Ibrox side could have equalised instantly. Instead, Youssef Chermiti sent his effort off target after a defensive error in the Roma defence. The player’s £8m purchase from the Toffees has piled pressure on the Rangers transfer hierarchy. Chermiti possesses at least the physical attributes to be an effective centre forward but seems unwilling or unable to utilize them fully.

Roma dominated opening period the ball from that point. They extended their advantage through their captain, whose curling shot into the far post 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 gorgeous finish. Ibrox, usually a raucous venue on European nights, had been silenced with time still remaining before the break. Even the boos which greeted the half-time whistle were timid; the home team were simply in the midst of being overwhelmed.

After the break started against a unusual backdrop. Those Rangers fans turned their attentions once again towards the top executive, the CEO, and transfer chief, the director. A pair of displays, clearly sinister in message, showed the pair with targets on their faces. One wonders what the Rangers chairman thinks about all this. Ultimately, the chairman enjoyed an low-profile career as a successful businessman in the United States before leading a takeover of Rangers. Paying punters have not targeted Cavenagh so far but there is a rebellious feeling around the club. It is one which is unsurprising; The team’s management is completely unconvincing.

As if scripted, the striker was sent through on goal on the 60-minute mark and found only the outside of the goal. This actually triggered the home side’s best period of the match, in which their substitute the young midfielder fired just wide. It was, nonetheless, hard to gauge Roma’s remaining attacking motivation until Zeki Celik was presented with a chance from close range which he inexplicably lifted and onto the bottom of the crossbar.

That opportunity as far as clear-cut chances were concerned. The raft of changes from each side meant this game closed more in the style of a summer exhibition than serious contest. That scenario benefited Roma perfectly. There was cause to consider how on earth the Glasgow club, finalists in this competition in recently and worthy of the quarter-finals a season ago, arrived at the point of making up the numbers.