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Roma displayed admirable efficiency in the way Roma dealt with this trip to Glasgow. Minimum of fuss. The team from Italy’s capital did, nonetheless, face manageable rivals when putting their Europa League bid back on track. Observers noted a glaring gulf in quality between the Serie A outfit and a Rangers squad that has now lost a team record seven continental matches consecutively.

To their credit, Rangers at least fought hard during a second half when surrender felt the more likely option. However, the match was decided as a competition at that stage. The Scottish club remain anchored at the foot of the tournament, which should represent an embarrassment to a team of such stature. The Giallorossi have ambitions once more on making proper impact. One slight disappointment here was in not delivering a scoreline appropriately depicting the mismatch in quality.

Amazingly, this represented only the Roman club’s second-ever 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 marred (to put it politely) by the bribing of a referee. Back then, teams from Scotland could vie with the top sides in the continent. This season has seen the co-efficient drop to a level that will shortly have huge ramifications.

Danny Röhl’s main quality up to now as the Rangers support are see it is that he isn’t his predecessor. The latter’s ghastly spell as the head coach continued for 123 days in the initial phase of this season. Röhl, the new man at the helm, has shown promise albeit within a limited timeframe. The dugouts saw a clash of generations; 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 obvious lack of height against the visitors looked ominous. That concern was proven within the opening quarter-hour as Bryan Cristante easily flicked on a corner at the near post. At the back, the Argentine winger burst forward to fire his team in front. The visitors minus the injured their young striker and Paulo Dybala, who have been criticised for lack of cutting edge despite decent results in this campaign, were delighted with their quick lead.

The Ibrox side should have levelled matters instantly. Rather, the forward sent his effort off target after a defensive error in the visitors’ backline. The player’s £8m signing from Everton has increased scrutiny of the club’s recruitment team. He has at least the physical attributes to be an effective striker but appears reluctant or incapable to utilize them fully.

The Italian outfit controlled opening period the ball from that point. Roma doubled their lead through their captain, whose curling shot into the far post of the goalkeeper’s net came after a pass from Artem Dovbyk. The hosts will bemoan the fact the midfielder stood in complete freedom but it was a superb strike. Ibrox, usually a raucous venue on continental evenings, had been silenced with time still remaining until halftime. Even the boos which met the half-time whistle were subdued; Rangers were simply in the midst of being outclassed.

After the break started against a curious atmosphere. Those Rangers fans turned their attentions for the latest time towards the top executive, Patrick Stewart, and transfer chief, Kevin Thelwell. A pair of displays, obviously menacing in message, depicted the pair with bullseyes on their faces. One wonders what the club owner makes of all this. After all, the chairman had an anonymous career as a successful businessman in the United States before fronting a takeover of Rangers. Fans have not turned on the owner so far but there is a rebellious feeling around the club. This is easy to understand; Rangers’ management is completely unimpressive.

As if scripted, Chermiti was played in on goal on the 60-minute mark and hit the outside of the goal. That moment sparked the home side’s finest spell of the match, in which their replacement the young midfielder shot narrowly past the post. Yet, however, difficult to determine the visitors’ remaining attacking motivation until Zeki Celik was given a chance from close range which he inexplicably hit up and on to the underside of the crossbar.

That was it as far as meaningful opportunity were concerned. The raft of substitutions from each side resulted in this fixture ended more in the fashion of a summer exhibition than competitive match. That scenario benefited Roma perfectly. It prompted reflection to ponder how exactly the Glasgow club, runners-up in this competition in recently and worthy of the quarter-finals a season ago, reached the stage of making up the numbers.