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Roma displayed impressive effectiveness in the way Roma dealt with this trip to Glasgow. Minimum of fuss. The team from Rome did, however, face manageable rivals when putting their European competition bid on the right path. There was a glaring difference in class between the Serie A outfit and a the Scottish team side that has now suffered defeat in a club record seven European games consecutively.

Positively, Rangers at least fought hard during a second half when surrender felt the probable option. Yet, the game was decided as a contest by then. The Scottish club remain rooted to the foot of the tournament, which should represent an disgrace to a team of such stature. The Giallorossi have ambitions again on making proper impact. Their only regret here was in not producing a scoreline appropriately depicting men against boys.

Amazingly, this represented only the Roman club’s second European joust with Scottish opposition since Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibernian in 1961. Their last such match, against Dundee United 23 years later, became overshadowed (to put it mildly) by the corruption of a referee. In those days, teams from Scotland could compete with the top sides in Europe. This season has seen the UEFA coefficient drop to a level that will shortly have huge consequences.

Danny Röhl’s main quality so far as the Rangers support are see it is that he isn’t Russell Martin. Martin’s ghastly spell as the head coach continued for 123 days in the early part of the campaign. The German coach, the new man at the helm, has displayed potential though within a tiny sample size. The dugouts witnessed a generation game; the Rangers boss is 36, his counterpart the Roma manager is 67.

Another element was much more noticeable as the sides took the field. Rangers’ glaring short stature against the visitors looked ominous. This point was proven within the opening quarter-hour as the Roma midfielder comfortably flicked on a corner at the near post. Following up, the Argentine winger sprinted into space to knock Roma ahead. The visitors minus the injured their young striker and Paulo Dybala, who have been questioned for bluntness despite reasonable results in the tournament, were pleased with their early advantage.

Rangers should have equalised instantly. Instead, Youssef Chermiti screwed his shot wide after a defensive error 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 physique to be an effective striker but seems unwilling or unable to utilize them fully.

Roma controlled opening period possession thereafter. Roma doubled their lead through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose curling shot into the bottom corner of the goalkeeper’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 gorgeous strike. Ibrox, usually a raucous venue on continental evenings, had been quietened with time still remaining before the break. Even the boos which greeted the interval were timid; the home team were simply in the process of being overwhelmed.

After the break began against a curious backdrop. Those Rangers fans turned their attentions once again towards the club’s chief executive, Patrick Stewart, and sporting director, Kevin Thelwell. A pair of displays, clearly sinister in tone, showed the duo with targets on their images. It raises questions what the Rangers chairman makes of the situation. After all, the chairman had an anonymous career as a wealthy entrepreneur 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. It is one which is easy to understand; Rangers’ management is wholly unconvincing.

Right on cue, Chermiti was played in on the keeper on the hour mark and found only the outside of the goal. That moment sparked Rangers’ best period of the match, in which their substitute the young midfielder shot narrowly past the post. It was, however, hard to determine the visitors’ continued attacking motivation until the full-back was presented with a opportunity from close range which he somehow hit up and onto the bottom of the bar.

That was it as far as clear-cut chances were involved. The raft of changes from both teams resulted in this game ended more in the fashion of a summer exhibition than competitive match. That scenario benefited the Italians fine. There was cause 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.