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There was impressive effectiveness in the way the Italian side handled this journey to Glasgow. Without much drama. The team from Italy’s capital did, however, face manageable rivals when putting their Europa League bid back on track. There was a obvious gulf in quality between the Serie A outfit and a Rangers squad that has now suffered defeat in a team record seven European games in a row.

To their credit, the home side at least fought hard during a later period when surrender felt the more likely outcome. However, the match was settled as a contest by then. Rangers remain anchored at the foot of the tournament, which should constitute an disgrace to a team of such stature. The Giallorossi have ambitions once more on achieving significant success. One slight disappointment in this match was in not producing a result that truly reflected men against boys.

Surprisingly, this marked only Roma’s second continental encounter with a team from Scotland since Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibs in the early 60s. The previous one, against Dundee United 23 years later, became marred (to put it mildly) by the bribing of a match official. In those days, Scottish clubs could compete with the best in the continent. This season has seen the UEFA coefficient plunge 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 ghastly spell as the manager continued for just over four months in the early part of the campaign. Röhl, the recent appointment at the helm, has shown promise though within a tiny sample size. The technical areas saw a clash of generations; the Rangers boss is thirty-six, his counterpart Gian Piero Gasperini is sixty-seven.

Another element was much more noticeable as the teams lined up. The home team’s glaring short stature against the visitors looked worrying. That concern was proven within the opening quarter-hour as the Roma midfielder comfortably redirected a corner at the front post. At the back, Matías Soulé sprinted into space to knock his team in front. A Roma team without the unavailable their young striker and Paulo Dybala, who have been questioned for bluntness even with decent results in the tournament, were delighted with their early advantage.

The Ibrox side should have equalised immediately. Rather, the forward sent his effort off target after a mix-up 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 centre forward but appears reluctant or incapable to use them.

The Italian outfit dominated opening period the ball from that point. They extended their advantage through their captain, whose curling shot into the far post of the goalkeeper’s net came after a pass from the Ukrainian forward. Rangers will lament the fact the midfielder was left in blissful isolation but it was a superb finish. Ibrox, usually a boisterous venue on continental evenings, had been silenced with time still remaining before the break. Even the boos which met the interval were subdued; Rangers were clearly in the process of being outclassed.

The second period began against a curious backdrop. Supporters directed their focus once again towards the top executive, the CEO, and sporting director, Kevin Thelwell. Two banners, clearly sinister in message, depicted the pair with targets on their images. One wonders what the club owner thinks about the situation. Ultimately, the chairman had an anonymous life as a wealthy entrepreneur in the United States before leading a acquisition of Rangers. Fans have not turned on the owner yet but there is a mutinous feeling in the air. It is one which is easy to understand; Rangers’ leadership is completely unimpressive.

Right on cue, the striker was sent through on the keeper on the hour mark and found only the side netting. That moment sparked Rangers’ finest spell of the game, in which their substitute the young midfielder fired just wide. It was, nonetheless, hard to determine the visitors’ remaining attacking motivation until the full-back 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 clear-cut chances were involved. The series of changes from each side meant this fixture ended more in the style of a pre-season friendly than serious contest. That scenario benefited Roma perfectly. It prompted reflection to consider how exactly the Glasgow club, runners-up in this tournament in recently and worthy of the quarter-finals a season ago, reached the stage of making up the numbers.