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There was impressive effectiveness about the way Roma handled this trip to Glasgow. Without much drama. Roma from Rome did, however, face manageable rivals when placing their European competition bid back on track. Observers noted a obvious difference in class between the Serie A outfit and a Rangers squad that has now lost a team record seven continental matches in a row.

Positively, the home side at least huffed and puffed during a later period when surrender felt the more likely option. However, the game was settled as a contest by then. The Scottish club remain rooted to the bottom of the Europa League, which should represent an disgrace to a team of such stature. The Giallorossi have ambitions once more on making proper impact. One slight disappointment here was in not producing a scoreline appropriately depicting men against boys.

Surprisingly, this marked only Roma’s second European joust with Scottish opposition since the historic Fairs Cup business with Hibernian in the early 60s. Their last such match, against Dundee United 23 years later, became overshadowed (to put it politely) by the corruption of a referee. Back then, Scottish clubs could vie with the top sides in Europe. The current campaign has seen the co-efficient plunge to a point that will shortly have huge ramifications.

The new manager’s main quality up to now as the Rangers support are see it is that he isn’t Russell Martin. The latter’s dismal tenure as the manager continued for just over four months in the early part of this season. Röhl, the new man at the helm, has shown promise though within a tiny sample size. The technical areas witnessed a generation game; the Rangers boss is thirty-six, his counterpart Gian Piero Gasperini is 67.

Another element was far more striking as the teams lined up. Rangers’ obvious short stature against the visitors looked ominous. That concern was proven within 13 minutes as Bryan Cristante easily redirected a corner at the near post. At the back, Matías Soulé sprinted into space to fire his team in front. The visitors minus the unavailable their young striker and their star attacker, who have been questioned for lack of cutting edge even with decent performances in the tournament, were pleased with their early advantage.

Rangers should have equalised immediately. Rather, Youssef Chermiti sent his effort off target after a mix-up in the visitors’ backline. The player’s £8m signing from the Toffees has increased scrutiny of the club’s recruitment team. He has at least the physical attributes to be an productive centre forward but appears reluctant or incapable to utilize them fully.

Roma dominated first-half possession from that point. Roma extended their advantage through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose bent effort into the bottom corner of Jack Butland’s net arrived after a lay off from Artem Dovbyk. Rangers will lament the fact Pellegrini stood in blissful isolation but it was a superb strike. Ibrox, typically a raucous place on continental evenings, had been silenced nine minutes until halftime. Even the boos which met the half-time whistle were subdued; the home team were clearly in the midst of being overwhelmed.

The second period began against a curious backdrop. Those Rangers fans directed their focus once again towards the club’s chief executive, the CEO, and sporting director, Kevin Thelwell. Two banners, clearly sinister in message, showed the duo with targets on their faces. One wonders what the club owner makes of the situation. After all, the chairman had an low-profile career as a wealthy entrepreneur in the United States before leading a acquisition of this club. Fans have not turned on the owner so far but there is a mutinous mood around the club. It is one which is unsurprising; The team’s management is completely unconvincing.

Right on cue, Chermiti was sent through on the keeper on the hour mark and hit the outside of the goal. That moment sparked Rangers’ best period of the game, in which their replacement Thelo Aasgaard fired just wide. It was, however, difficult to gauge the visitors’ continued attacking motivation until the full-back was given a chance from close range which he inexplicably hit up and on to the bottom of the crossbar.

That opportunity as far as clear-cut opportunity were involved. The raft of changes from both teams meant this game closed more in the fashion of a summer exhibition than serious contest. This of course suited the Italians fine. There was cause to ponder how on earth the Glasgow club, runners-up in this competition in 2022 and worthy of the last eight a last year, arrived at the point of just participating.