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There was admirable efficiency about the way Roma dealt with this journey to Glasgow. Minimum of fuss. Roma from Rome did, however, face manageable rivals when placing their European competition bid back on track. Observers noted a glaring difference in class between Roma and a the Scottish team squad that has now suffered defeat in a team record seven European games consecutively.

To their credit, the home side at least fought hard during a later period when capitulation felt the probable outcome. However, the match was settled as a competition at that stage. Rangers remain anchored at the bottom of the Europa League, which should constitute an embarrassment to a team of such stature. Roma have ambitions once more on making proper impact. One slight disappointment in this match was in not delivering a scoreline appropriately depicting the mismatch in quality.

Surprisingly, this marked only Roma’s second continental encounter with a team from Scotland since the historic Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibernian in 1961. The previous one, against Dundee United 23 years later, became overshadowed (to put it mildly) by the bribing of a match official. Back then, teams from Scotland could vie with the top sides in the continent. The current campaign has seen the co-efficient plunge to a level that will shortly have huge ramifications.

The new manager’s key attribute up to now as the Rangers support are concerned is that he is not Russell Martin. Martin’s dismal spell as the head coach lasted just over four months in the initial phase of the campaign. Röhl, the recent appointment at the helm, has shown promise though within a tiny sample size. The technical areas saw a generation game; the Rangers boss is 36, his counterpart Gian Piero Gasperini is 67.

Another element was much more noticeable as the sides lined up. Rangers’ obvious lack of height against the visitors looked worrying. This point was confirmed within 13 minutes as the Roma midfielder easily flicked on a corner at the near post. Following up, the Argentine winger burst forward to knock Roma ahead. The visitors without the injured Evan Ferguson and Paulo Dybala, who have been criticised for bluntness even with reasonable results in this campaign, were delighted with their early advantage.

The Ibrox side could have equalised instantly. Instead, Youssef Chermiti screwed his shot wide after a defensive error in the visitors’ backline. The player’s eight-million-pound purchase from Everton has increased scrutiny of the club’s recruitment team. He has at least the physique to be an effective striker but seems reluctant or incapable to use them.

Roma controlled first-half the ball from that point. They doubled their lead through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose curling shot into the far post of Jack Butland’s net arrived after a pass from Artem Dovbyk. Rangers will lament the fact Pellegrini stood in complete freedom but it was a superb finish. The stadium, usually a boisterous venue on continental evenings, had been quietened with time still remaining until halftime. The discontent which met the interval were subdued; Rangers were clearly in the midst of being outclassed.

The second period began against a unusual atmosphere. Those Rangers fans turned their attentions once again towards the top executive, the CEO, and transfer chief, Kevin Thelwell. Two banners, obviously sinister in tone, depicted the duo with bullseyes on their images. It raises questions what the Rangers chairman thinks about the situation. After all, Andrew Cavenagh enjoyed an low-profile career as a wealthy entrepreneur in the United States before fronting a takeover of Rangers. Fans have not turned on the owner yet but there is a mutinous feeling around the club. It is one which is easy to understand; The team’s leadership is wholly unimpressive.

Right on cue, the striker was played in on goal on the hour mark and hit the outside of the goal. That moment sparked Rangers’ finest spell of the match, in which their substitute the young midfielder shot narrowly past the post. Yet, nonetheless, hard to determine Roma’s continued attacking motivation until the full-back was given a opportunity all of a yard out which he inexplicably hit up and onto the underside of the crossbar.

That was it as far as meaningful chances were concerned. The series of changes from each side resulted in this fixture closed more in the fashion of a pre-season friendly than serious contest. This of course suited Roma perfectly. There was cause to consider how on earth the Glasgow club, runners-up in this competition in recently and worthy of the quarter-finals a season ago, arrived at the stage of just participating.