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There was admirable efficiency in the way the Italian side dealt with this journey to Glasgow. Without much drama. Roma from Italy’s capital did, nonetheless, meet favourable opposition 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 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 more likely option. Yet, the game was settled as a competition at that stage. Rangers remain rooted to the foot of the Europa League, which should represent an disgrace to a team of such stature. Roma have eyes once more on achieving significant success. Their only regret in this match was in not delivering a result appropriately depicting the mismatch in quality.

Surprisingly, this marked only Roma’s second European joust with Scottish opposition since the historic Fairs Cup business with Hibs in the early 60s. The previous one, against Dundee United over two decades later, became overshadowed (to put it politely) by the corruption of a referee. Back then, teams from Scotland could vie with the top sides in the continent. The current campaign has seen the UEFA coefficient drop to a point that will shortly have huge consequences.

Danny Röhl’s key attribute so far as the fanbase are see it is that he is not his predecessor. Martin’s ghastly tenure as the manager lasted just over four months in the initial phase of this season. The German coach, the recent appointment at the helm, has shown promise though within a tiny sample size. The technical areas saw a generation game; Röhl is thirty-six, his counterpart Gian Piero Gasperini is sixty-seven.

Another element was far more striking as the sides took the field. The home team’s glaring short stature against the Italians looked ominous. That concern was confirmed within the opening quarter-hour as Bryan Cristante comfortably redirected a set-piece at the near post. Following up, Matías Soulé burst forward to fire Roma in front. The visitors without the unavailable their young striker and their star attacker, who have been criticised for bluntness despite reasonable results in this campaign, were delighted with their quick lead.

Rangers could have equalised immediately. Instead, the forward sent his effort off target after a defensive error in the Roma defence. The player’s eight-million-pound signing from Everton has piled pressure on the Rangers transfer hierarchy. He has at least the physique to be an effective striker but seems unwilling or unable to use them.

Roma controlled opening period the ball thereafter. They doubled their lead through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose bent effort into the bottom corner of Jack Butland’s net came after a lay off from the Ukrainian forward. Rangers will bemoan the fact Pellegrini was left in complete freedom but it was a gorgeous finish. The stadium, typically a boisterous place on continental evenings, had been quietened nine minutes until halftime. The discontent which met the interval were timid; Rangers were simply in the process of being overwhelmed.

The second period began against a curious backdrop. Those Rangers fans directed their focus for the latest time towards the top executive, the CEO, and transfer chief, the director. Two banners, clearly menacing in tone, showed the pair with bullseyes on their faces. One wonders what the Rangers chairman thinks about all this. Ultimately, Andrew Cavenagh had an anonymous career as a successful businessman in the US before fronting a acquisition of this club. Fans have not turned on the owner yet but there is a mutinous mood around the club. It is one which is unsurprising; Rangers’ leadership is wholly unconvincing.

Right on cue, Chermiti was sent through on goal on the hour mark and found only the outside of the goal. This actually triggered Rangers’ finest spell of the match, in which their substitute Thelo Aasgaard fired just wide. It was, however, difficult to determine the visitors’ remaining attacking motivation until the full-back was given a opportunity all of a yard out which he inexplicably lifted and onto the underside of the crossbar.

That opportunity as far as clear-cut opportunity were involved. The series of substitutions from both teams meant this game closed more in the style of a summer exhibition than competitive match. That scenario benefited the Italians fine. It prompted reflection to consider how exactly the Glasgow club, runners-up in this competition in recently and worthy of the last eight a season ago, reached the point of making up the numbers.