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Roma displayed impressive effectiveness in the way Roma dealt with this journey to Scotland. Without much drama. The team from Italy’s capital did, nonetheless, meet favourable opposition when putting their European competition bid back on track. There was a glaring difference in class between the Serie A outfit and a the Scottish team side that has now lost a club record seven continental matches in a row.

Positively, the home side at least huffed and puffed during a second half when capitulation felt the more likely outcome. Yet, the match was decided as a competition by then. The Scottish club remain anchored at the foot of the Europa League, which should represent an embarrassment to a team of such stature. The Giallorossi have ambitions once more on making proper impact. One slight disappointment in this match was in not delivering a scoreline appropriately depicting men against boys.

Amazingly, this marked only Roma’s second continental encounter with Scottish opposition since the historic Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibs in the early 60s. The previous one, against the Terrors 23 years later, became overshadowed (to put it mildly) by the corruption of a referee. In those days, Scottish clubs could vie with the top sides in the continent. This season has seen the UEFA coefficient plunge to a level that will soon have huge 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 ghastly spell as the head coach lasted 123 days in the initial phase of the campaign. Röhl, the new man at the helm, has shown promise albeit within a tiny sample size. The technical areas saw a clash of generations; Röhl is thirty-six, his opposite number the Roma manager is 67.

Another element was far more striking as the sides lined up. The home team’s obvious short stature against the visitors looked ominous. This point was confirmed within 13 minutes as Bryan Cristante easily redirected a set-piece at the front post. Following up, Matías Soulé sprinted into space to fire Roma in front. The visitors minus the unavailable their young striker and their star attacker, who have been criticised for bluntness despite decent results in this campaign, were delighted with their quick lead.

Rangers could have equalised instantly. Instead, the forward sent his effort off target after a mix-up in the Roma defence. Chermiti’s £8m signing from Everton has piled pressure on the Rangers transfer hierarchy. Chermiti possesses at least the physical attributes to be an productive striker but appears unwilling or unable to use them.

The Italian outfit controlled first-half the ball thereafter. Roma doubled their lead through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose curling shot into the far post of Jack Butland’s net arrived after a lay off from the Ukrainian forward. The hosts will lament the fact Pellegrini was left in blissful isolation but it was a superb strike. Ibrox, usually a raucous place on European nights, had been silenced nine minutes before the break. Even the boos which greeted the half-time whistle were subdued; the home team were simply in the process of being overwhelmed.

After the break began against a curious atmosphere. Supporters turned their attentions once again towards the top executive, Patrick Stewart, and transfer chief, the director. Two banners, obviously sinister in message, showed the pair with targets on their faces. One wonders what the club owner makes of the situation. After all, Andrew Cavenagh enjoyed an anonymous career as a wealthy entrepreneur in the US before leading a acquisition of Rangers. Fans have not turned on Cavenagh yet but there is a mutinous mood around the club. It is one which is unsurprising; Rangers’ leadership is completely unconvincing.

Right on cue, Chermiti was played in on the keeper on the 60-minute mark and found only the side netting. This actually triggered Rangers’ finest spell of the match, in which their substitute Thelo Aasgaard fired just wide. Yet, however, hard to determine the visitors’ continued attacking motivation until the full-back was presented with a chance all of a yard out which he somehow lifted and on to the underside of the bar.

That was it as far as meaningful opportunity were concerned. The series of substitutions from each side resulted in this game closed more in the fashion of a summer exhibition than serious contest. That scenario benefited Roma fine. There was cause to consider how on earth the Glasgow club, runners-up in this tournament in 2022 and worthy of the last eight a last year, reached the stage of making up the numbers.