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There was admirable efficiency about the way Roma handled this journey to Scotland. Without much drama. The team from Italy’s capital did, nonetheless, face manageable rivals when placing their Europa League bid back on track. There was a glaring difference in class between Roma and a the Scottish team side that has now suffered defeat in a team record seven European games consecutively.

Positively, Rangers at least huffed and puffed during a later period when surrender felt the probable option. Yet, the match was decided as a competition by then. The Scottish club remain anchored at the foot of the tournament, which should represent an embarrassment to a club of such stature. Roma have ambitions once more on making proper impact. Their only regret in this match was in not delivering a scoreline that truly reflected the mismatch in quality.

Amazingly, this marked only the Roman club’s second European joust with Scottish opposition since the historic Fairs Cup business with Hibernian in the early 60s. Their last such match, against the Terrors over two decades later, became marred (to put it mildly) by the corruption of a match official. In those days, Scottish clubs could vie with the top sides in Europe. The current campaign has seen the UEFA coefficient drop to a level that will shortly have major ramifications.

The new manager’s key attribute up to now as the fanbase are see it is that he isn’t his predecessor. The latter’s dismal spell as the head coach continued for 123 days in the initial phase of this season. Röhl, the recent appointment at the helm, has shown promise albeit within a limited timeframe. The technical areas witnessed a generation game; the Rangers boss is 36, his counterpart the Roma manager is sixty-seven.

Another element was far more striking as the teams took the field. The home team’s glaring lack of height against the visitors looked worrying. This point was proven within 13 minutes as the Roma midfielder comfortably redirected a set-piece at the front post. At the back, Matías Soulé sprinted into space to fire Roma ahead. The visitors minus the unavailable their young striker and Paulo Dybala, who have been questioned for lack of cutting edge even with decent results in this campaign, were delighted with their early advantage.

Rangers could have equalised immediately. Rather, Youssef Chermiti sent his effort off target after a mix-up in the visitors’ backline. Chermiti’s £8m purchase from the Toffees has piled pressure on the Rangers transfer hierarchy. He has at least the physical attributes to be an productive striker but seems unwilling or unable to use them.

Roma dominated first-half the ball thereafter. Roma extended their advantage through their captain, whose curling shot into the bottom corner of the goalkeeper’s net came after a pass from Artem Dovbyk. The hosts will lament the fact Pellegrini stood in complete freedom but it was a superb finish. Ibrox, usually a boisterous place on continental evenings, had been silenced nine minutes before the break. The discontent which met the half-time whistle were subdued; Rangers were clearly in the midst of being overwhelmed.

After the break started against a unusual atmosphere. Those Rangers fans turned their attentions once again towards the top executive, Patrick Stewart, and sporting director, the director. A pair of displays, clearly menacing in message, showed the duo with bullseyes on their images. It raises questions what the club owner makes of the situation. After all, Andrew Cavenagh had an low-profile life as a wealthy entrepreneur in the United States before fronting a acquisition of Rangers. Paying punters have not targeted the owner yet but there is a mutinous mood in the air. It is one which is unsurprising; The team’s leadership is wholly unimpressive.

Right on cue, Chermiti was played in on the keeper on the hour mark and found only the side netting. That moment sparked the home side’s finest spell of the game, in which their replacement the young midfielder fired just wide. It was, nonetheless, hard to gauge Roma’s 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 bar.

That was it as far as meaningful chances were involved. The series of changes from each side meant this game ended more in the fashion of a pre-season friendly than competitive match. This of course suited the Italians fine. It prompted reflection to consider how exactly Rangers, finalists in this tournament in 2022 and worthy of the last eight a season ago, arrived at the point of making up the numbers.