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

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 contest by then. The Scottish club remain anchored at the bottom of the tournament, which should constitute an embarrassment to a team of this standing. Roma have eyes once more on making proper impact. Their only regret in this match was in not delivering a scoreline that truly reflected men against boys.

Amazingly, this marked only the Roman club’s second-ever continental encounter with a team from Scotland since the historic Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibernian in the early 60s. The previous one, against Dundee United over two decades later, became marred (to put it mildly) by the bribing of a referee. In those days, teams from Scotland could vie with the top sides in the continent. The current campaign has seen the co-efficient drop to a level that will soon have huge ramifications.

Danny Röhl’s key attribute up to now as the fanbase are concerned is that he isn’t Russell Martin. The latter’s dismal spell as the head coach lasted just over four months in the initial phase of the campaign. Röhl, the new man at the helm, has displayed potential albeit within a tiny sample size. The dugouts witnessed a generation game; Röhl is thirty-six, his counterpart Gian Piero Gasperini is 67.

A further factor was far more striking as the teams lined up. Rangers’ glaring short stature against the visitors looked worrying. This point was confirmed within 13 minutes as the Roma midfielder easily flicked on a corner at the front post. Following up, the Argentine winger sprinted into space to knock Roma in front. A Roma team minus the injured Evan Ferguson and Paulo Dybala, who have been criticised for lack of cutting edge despite reasonable performances in the tournament, were pleased with their quick lead.

Rangers should have equalised instantly. Instead, Youssef Chermiti screwed his shot wide after a defensive error in the visitors’ backline. The player’s £8m signing from the Toffees has piled pressure on the Rangers transfer hierarchy. Chermiti possesses at least the physical attributes to be an effective striker but appears unwilling or unable to utilize them fully.

Roma controlled first-half the ball 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 pass from the Ukrainian forward. Rangers will bemoan the fact the midfielder stood in complete freedom but it was a superb finish. The stadium, typically a boisterous place on continental evenings, had been silenced with time still remaining until halftime. Even the boos which greeted the interval were subdued; the home team were simply in the midst of being outclassed.

After the break started against a unusual atmosphere. Those Rangers fans turned their attentions for the latest time towards the top executive, Patrick Stewart, and transfer chief, the director. A pair of displays, obviously menacing in message, depicted the duo with targets on their images. It raises questions what the club owner thinks about the situation. After all, the chairman enjoyed an anonymous career as a successful businessman in the US before leading a acquisition of this club. Paying punters have not turned on Cavenagh so far but there is a mutinous feeling in the air. This is unsurprising; The team’s management is completely unimpressive.

As if scripted, the striker was sent through on goal on the hour mark and hit the outside of the goal. This actually triggered the home side’s finest spell of the game, in which their substitute Thelo Aasgaard shot narrowly past the post. It was, however, hard to determine the visitors’ continued offensive intent until the full-back was given a chance from close range which he inexplicably lifted and onto the bottom of the crossbar.

That was it as far as meaningful opportunity were involved. The raft of substitutions from each side meant this fixture ended more in the style of a pre-season friendly than serious contest. That scenario benefited the Italians fine. It prompted reflection to ponder how on earth the Glasgow club, runners-up in this tournament in recently and worthy of the last eight a season ago, arrived at the stage of making up the numbers.