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Roma displayed impressive effectiveness in the way Roma handled this journey to Glasgow. Without much drama. The team from Rome did, however, meet favourable opposition when placing their Europa League bid back on track. There was a glaring gulf in quality between Roma and a Rangers side 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 capitulation felt the probable outcome. However, the game was settled as a contest at that stage. The Scottish club remain rooted to the foot of the Europa League, which should represent an embarrassment to a club of such stature. Roma have ambitions again on making proper impact. One slight disappointment in this match was in not producing a result that truly reflected men against boys.

Amazingly, this marked only the Roman club’s second continental encounter with a team from Scotland since the historic Fairs Cup business with Hibs in the early 60s. The previous one, against Dundee United over two decades later, became marred (to put it mildly) by the bribing of a match official. Back then, teams from Scotland could vie with the top sides in Europe. This season has seen the UEFA coefficient drop to a point that will shortly have major ramifications.

Danny Röhl’s key attribute so far as the fanbase are concerned is that he isn’t Russell Martin. The latter’s ghastly spell as the head coach lasted just over four months in the early part of the campaign. The German coach, the recent appointment at the helm, has displayed potential albeit within a tiny sample size. The technical areas saw a generation game; Röhl is 36, his opposite number the Roma manager is 67.

Another element was much more noticeable as the sides lined up. The home team’s glaring short stature against the visitors looked ominous. That concern was confirmed within the opening quarter-hour as the Roma midfielder easily flicked on a set-piece at the front post. At the back, the Argentine winger burst forward to fire Roma in front. The visitors without the injured Evan Ferguson and their star attacker, who have been criticised for bluntness despite reasonable performances in the tournament, were pleased with their quick lead.

The Ibrox side could have equalised immediately. Instead, the forward sent his effort off target after a mix-up in the Roma defence. The player’s £8m signing from the Toffees has increased scrutiny of the Rangers transfer hierarchy. He has 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 from that point. Roma doubled their lead through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose bent effort into the far post of the goalkeeper’s net came after a lay off from the Ukrainian forward. Rangers will bemoan the fact the midfielder was left in blissful isolation but it was a superb finish. The stadium, usually a boisterous place on European nights, had been quietened with time still remaining before the break. The discontent which greeted the interval were timid; the home team were clearly in the midst of being outclassed.

The second period started against a unusual atmosphere. Those Rangers fans directed their focus for the latest time towards the top executive, Patrick Stewart, and transfer chief, Kevin Thelwell. A pair of displays, clearly sinister in message, depicted the duo with targets on their images. One wonders what the club owner thinks about all this. After all, the chairman enjoyed an anonymous career as a wealthy entrepreneur in the US before fronting a takeover of this club. Fans have not targeted Cavenagh so far but there is a rebellious feeling around the club. It is one which is unsurprising; Rangers’ leadership is wholly unimpressive.

As if scripted, the striker was sent through on goal on the hour mark and found only the outside of the goal. That moment sparked Rangers’ best period of the game, in which their replacement the young midfielder shot narrowly past the post. Yet, nonetheless, difficult to determine the visitors’ continued attacking motivation until Zeki Celik was given a opportunity from close range which he inexplicably hit up and on to the underside of the bar.

That was it as far as meaningful opportunity were concerned. The series of changes from both teams meant this game closed more in the style of a pre-season friendly than competitive match. This of course suited Roma fine. There was cause to ponder how exactly the Glasgow club, runners-up in this competition in 2022 and strong enough of the last eight a last year, reached the stage of just participating.