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Roma displayed admirable efficiency in the way Roma handled this journey to Glasgow. Without much drama. The team from Rome did, nonetheless, face manageable rivals when putting their European competition bid on the right path. There was a glaring gulf in quality between Roma and a the Scottish team side that has now suffered defeat in a team record seven European games in a row.

Positively, the home side at least fought hard during a later period when surrender felt the more likely option. However, the game was decided as a competition at that stage. The Scottish club remain rooted to the bottom of the tournament, which should represent an embarrassment to a team of such stature. The Giallorossi have ambitions once more on making proper impact. Their only regret here was in not producing a result that truly reflected men against boys.

Surprisingly, this marked only the Roman club’s second-ever continental encounter with Scottish opposition since Fairs Cup business with Hibs in the early 60s. The previous one, against the Terrors over two decades later, became marred (to put it politely) by the bribing of a match official. In those days, Scottish clubs could vie with the best in the continent. This season has seen the co-efficient drop to a point that will shortly have huge ramifications.

The new manager’s key attribute up to now as the fanbase are concerned is that he is not Russell Martin. The latter’s dismal tenure as the head coach lasted just over four months in the initial phase of this season. The German coach, the new man at the helm, has displayed potential albeit within a tiny sample size. The technical areas saw a clash of generations; Röhl is 36, his counterpart the Roma manager is sixty-seven.

Another element was much more noticeable as the teams took the field. Rangers’ glaring short stature against the visitors looked worrying. This point was proven within 13 minutes as the Roma midfielder comfortably redirected a set-piece at the near post. At the back, the Argentine winger burst forward to knock Roma in front. The visitors without the injured their young striker and their star attacker, who have been questioned for bluntness despite reasonable results in this campaign, were delighted with their quick lead.

The Ibrox side should have levelled matters immediately. Rather, 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 club’s recruitment team. He has at least the physique to be an productive centre forward but appears unwilling or unable to use them.

The Italian outfit controlled opening period possession from that point. Roma doubled their lead through their captain, whose curling shot into the bottom corner of Jack Butland’s net arrived after a lay off from Artem Dovbyk. Rangers will bemoan the fact the midfielder stood in blissful isolation but it was a superb strike. Ibrox, usually a boisterous place on European nights, had been quietened nine minutes before the break. Even the boos which greeted the half-time whistle were subdued; the home team were clearly in the midst of being overwhelmed.

After the break began against a unusual backdrop. Supporters directed their focus once again towards the club’s chief executive, Patrick Stewart, and transfer chief, Kevin Thelwell. A pair of displays, obviously sinister in message, depicted the pair with bullseyes on their images. One wonders what the club owner makes of all this. After all, Andrew Cavenagh enjoyed an anonymous career as a wealthy entrepreneur in the US before leading a acquisition of Rangers. Paying punters have not turned on the owner so far but there is a mutinous feeling around the club. It is one which is unsurprising; Rangers’ management is wholly unimpressive.

As if scripted, Chermiti was played in on goal on the hour mark and found only the side netting. That moment sparked Rangers’ finest spell of the game, in which their replacement the young midfielder fired just wide. It was, however, hard to gauge the visitors’ remaining attacking motivation until the full-back was given a chance from close range which he somehow hit up and on to the underside of the bar.

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 consider how exactly the Glasgow club, runners-up in this competition in 2022 and strong enough of the last eight a season ago, reached the point of making up the numbers.