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Roma displayed admirable efficiency about the way Roma dealt with this journey to Glasgow. Minimum of fuss. Roma from Italy’s capital did, nonetheless, face manageable rivals when placing their European competition 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 continental matches consecutively.

To their credit, Rangers at least huffed and puffed during a later period when capitulation felt the probable option. Yet, the game was decided as a competition by then. The Scottish club remain anchored at the foot of the Europa League, which should constitute an disgrace to a team of this standing. Roma have eyes again on making proper impact. Their only regret here was in not producing a scoreline appropriately depicting men against boys.

Surprisingly, this marked only the Roman club’s second continental encounter with Scottish opposition since the historic Fairs Cup business with Hibs in 1961. The previous one, against Dundee United over two decades later, became overshadowed (to put it mildly) by the corruption of a match official. In those days, teams from Scotland could compete with the top sides in Europe. The current campaign has seen the co-efficient drop to a point that will soon have major ramifications.

The new manager’s key attribute so far as the fanbase are concerned is that he isn’t his predecessor. The latter’s dismal tenure as the manager lasted 123 days in the initial phase of this season. The German coach, the new man at the helm, has shown promise though within a limited timeframe. The dugouts saw a clash of generations; the Rangers boss is thirty-six, his opposite number the Roma manager is 67.

Another element was far more striking as the teams took the field. Rangers’ obvious lack of height against the Italians looked worrying. That concern was confirmed within 13 minutes as the Roma midfielder comfortably flicked on a corner at the front post. At the back, Matías Soulé sprinted into space to fire his team ahead. A Roma team without the injured Evan Ferguson and Paulo Dybala, who have been questioned for bluntness despite reasonable performances in this campaign, were delighted with their early advantage.

The Ibrox side could have levelled matters instantly. Rather, Youssef Chermiti screwed his shot wide after a mix-up in the Roma defence. The player’s £8m signing from the Toffees has increased scrutiny of the Rangers transfer hierarchy. Chermiti possesses at least the physique to be an productive centre forward but appears unwilling or unable to utilize them fully.

The Italian outfit controlled opening period possession thereafter. They extended their advantage through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose curling shot into the far post of the goalkeeper’s net arrived after a pass from Artem Dovbyk. Rangers will bemoan the fact the midfielder stood in blissful isolation but it was a superb strike. The stadium, usually a raucous place on European nights, had been silenced nine minutes until halftime. Even the boos which greeted the interval were subdued; Rangers were simply in the process of being outclassed.

After the break started against a curious atmosphere. Those Rangers fans directed their focus once again towards the top executive, the CEO, and sporting director, Kevin Thelwell. A pair of displays, clearly menacing in tone, showed the pair with targets on their images. One wonders what the Rangers chairman thinks about all this. After all, the chairman enjoyed an low-profile career as a wealthy entrepreneur in the United States before fronting a takeover of this club. Fans have not turned on the owner yet but there is a rebellious mood around the club. It is one which is unsurprising; The team’s management is completely unconvincing.

As if scripted, the striker was played in on the keeper on the hour mark and hit the side netting. That moment sparked the home side’s best period of the game, in which their substitute the young midfielder fired just wide. It was, nonetheless, difficult to determine the visitors’ remaining offensive intent until Zeki Celik was presented with a chance from close range which he somehow hit up and onto the bottom of the crossbar.

That opportunity as far as meaningful opportunity were concerned. The series of changes from each side meant this game ended more in the style of a pre-season friendly than competitive match. This of course suited Roma fine. There was cause to ponder how exactly the Glasgow club, finalists in this competition in 2022 and worthy of the last eight a last year, arrived at the stage of making up the numbers.