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There was impressive effectiveness about the way the Italian side handled this journey to Glasgow. Without much drama. Roma from Italy’s capital did, however, face manageable rivals when placing their Europa League bid on the right path. There was a glaring gulf in quality between the Serie A outfit and a the Scottish team side that has now lost a team record seven continental matches consecutively.

Positively, the home side at least huffed and puffed during a later period when capitulation felt the probable option. However, the match was settled as a contest by then. Rangers remain rooted to the bottom of the tournament, which should constitute an disgrace to a team of this standing. Roma have ambitions again on achieving significant success. One slight disappointment here was in not producing a result that truly reflected the mismatch in quality.

Surprisingly, this represented only Roma’s second continental encounter with Scottish opposition since the historic Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibernian in the early 60s. The previous one, against Dundee United 23 years later, became overshadowed (to put it mildly) by the corruption of a match official. In those days, Scottish clubs could compete 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 so far as the fanbase are concerned is that he isn’t his predecessor. The latter’s ghastly tenure as the manager continued for just over four months in the early part of this season. Röhl, the recent appointment at the helm, has shown promise albeit within a limited timeframe. The technical areas witnessed a generation game; the Rangers boss is thirty-six, his opposite number the Roma manager is 67.

A further factor was much more noticeable as the sides lined up. Rangers’ obvious short stature against the visitors looked worrying. This point was proven within the opening quarter-hour as Bryan Cristante comfortably redirected a set-piece at the front post. At the back, the Argentine winger burst forward to knock his team ahead. The visitors without the unavailable Evan Ferguson and their star attacker, who have been questioned for bluntness despite decent performances in the tournament, were pleased with their early advantage.

Rangers should have equalised immediately. Instead, the forward screwed his shot wide after a defensive error in the Roma defence. The player’s £8m purchase from the Toffees has piled pressure on the Rangers transfer hierarchy. He has at least the physical attributes to be an productive striker but appears unwilling or unable to utilize them fully.

The Italian outfit dominated first-half possession from that point. They extended their advantage through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose curling shot into the far post of Jack Butland’s net came after a pass from the Ukrainian forward. Rangers will bemoan the fact Pellegrini was left in blissful isolation but it was a superb finish. Ibrox, typically a boisterous place on European nights, had been quietened with time still remaining until halftime. The discontent which met the interval were timid; Rangers were simply in the midst of being outclassed.

After the break started against a unusual backdrop. Those Rangers fans turned their attentions once again towards the top executive, Patrick Stewart, and transfer chief, the director. A pair of displays, clearly sinister in tone, showed the pair with bullseyes on their images. One wonders what the club owner thinks about the situation. Ultimately, Andrew Cavenagh had an anonymous life as a wealthy entrepreneur in the United States before fronting a takeover of this club. Fans have not turned on Cavenagh so far but there is a rebellious feeling in the air. It is one which is easy to understand; The team’s management is completely unimpressive.

Right on cue, Chermiti was sent through on goal on the hour mark and hit the outside of the goal. This actually triggered Rangers’ finest spell of the match, in which their substitute the young midfielder fired just wide. Yet, nonetheless, hard to gauge Roma’s remaining attacking motivation until the full-back was presented with a opportunity all of a yard out which he inexplicably hit up and onto the underside of the bar.

That was it as far as meaningful opportunity were concerned. The series of substitutions from both teams resulted in this fixture closed more in the fashion of a summer exhibition than serious contest. This of course suited the Italians perfectly. It prompted reflection to consider how on earth Rangers, runners-up in this tournament in 2022 and worthy of the quarter-finals a season ago, arrived at the stage of just participating.