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There was admirable efficiency about the way Roma handled this journey to Scotland. Without much drama. The team from Italy’s capital did, however, face manageable rivals when putting their Europa League bid on the right path. There was a obvious difference in class between the Serie A outfit and a Rangers squad that has now lost a team record seven European games in a row.

Positively, the home side at least huffed and puffed during a later period when capitulation felt the more likely outcome. However, the game was settled as a competition by then. Rangers remain rooted to the bottom of the Europa League, which should represent an disgrace to a team of such stature. Roma have ambitions again on achieving significant success. Their only regret in this match was in not producing a scoreline that truly reflected the mismatch in quality.

Amazingly, this represented only the Roman club’s second-ever continental encounter with Scottish opposition since Fairs Cup business with Hibs in the early 60s. Their last such match, against Dundee United 23 years later, became marred (to put it politely) by the bribing of a match official. Back then, Scottish clubs could vie with the top sides in the continent. The current campaign has seen the UEFA coefficient drop to a point that will soon have major consequences.

The new manager’s key attribute so far as the fanbase are see it is that he is not Russell Martin. Martin’s ghastly spell as the manager lasted just over four months in the early part of the campaign. Röhl, the recent appointment at the helm, has displayed potential albeit within a limited timeframe. The dugouts saw a generation game; the Rangers boss is 36, his opposite number the Roma manager is sixty-seven.

A further factor was much more noticeable as the sides took the field. Rangers’ glaring lack of height against the visitors looked worrying. That concern was proven within 13 minutes as the Roma midfielder comfortably redirected a set-piece at the front post. Following up, the Argentine winger burst forward to knock Roma ahead. A Roma team without the injured their young striker and Paulo Dybala, who have been questioned for lack of cutting edge despite reasonable results in this campaign, were pleased with their early advantage.

The Ibrox side should have levelled matters instantly. Rather, the forward sent his effort off target after a mix-up in the visitors’ backline. The player’s eight-million-pound signing from the Toffees has piled pressure on the Rangers transfer hierarchy. Chermiti possesses at least the physical attributes to be an effective striker but appears reluctant or incapable to use them.

The Italian outfit dominated first-half the ball from that point. They doubled their lead through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose bent effort into the bottom corner of the goalkeeper’s net arrived after a pass from Artem Dovbyk. Rangers will bemoan the fact Pellegrini was left in complete freedom but it was a gorgeous strike. The stadium, usually a raucous place on continental evenings, had been quietened with time still remaining before the break. The discontent which met the half-time whistle were timid; Rangers were clearly in the process of being outclassed.

The second period started against a curious backdrop. Those Rangers fans directed their focus for the latest time towards the club’s chief executive, the CEO, and transfer chief, the director. A pair of displays, clearly menacing in message, showed the pair with targets on their images. It raises questions what the Rangers chairman thinks about the situation. After all, Andrew Cavenagh enjoyed an anonymous career as a successful businessman in the United States before leading a acquisition of this club. Fans have not turned on Cavenagh yet but there is a mutinous feeling in the air. This is unsurprising; The team’s management is wholly unimpressive.

As if scripted, Chermiti was played in on the keeper on the hour mark and hit the outside of the goal. That moment sparked Rangers’ finest spell of the match, in which their replacement the young midfielder fired just wide. Yet, nonetheless, hard to determine Roma’s continued attacking motivation until Zeki Celik was given a opportunity from close range which he inexplicably lifted and on to the underside of the crossbar.

That was it as far as meaningful chances were concerned. The series of substitutions from each side resulted in this game closed more in the style of a pre-season friendly than serious contest. That scenario benefited Roma fine. It prompted reflection to ponder how on earth the Glasgow club, runners-up in this tournament in 2022 and strong enough of the quarter-finals a season ago, reached the point of making up the numbers.