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There was impressive effectiveness about the way the Italian side dealt with this trip to Scotland. Minimum of fuss. Roma from Italy’s capital did, nonetheless, meet favourable opposition when placing their European competition bid on the right path. Observers noted a glaring gulf in quality between the Serie A outfit and a the Scottish team squad that has now suffered defeat in a team 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. However, the match was decided as a contest at that stage. Rangers remain anchored at the bottom of the tournament, which should constitute an embarrassment to a club of this standing. The Giallorossi have ambitions again on making proper impact. Their only regret here was in not delivering a scoreline appropriately depicting the mismatch in quality.

Amazingly, this represented only the Roman club’s second European joust with Scottish opposition since the historic Fairs Cup business with Hibs in 1961. The previous one, against the Terrors over two decades later, became marred (to put it mildly) by the bribing of a referee. In those days, teams from Scotland could compete with the top sides in the continent. This season has seen the co-efficient plunge to a level that will soon have major ramifications.

Danny Röhl’s main quality up to now as the Rangers support are concerned is that he isn’t his predecessor. Martin’s dismal spell as the head coach lasted 123 days in the initial phase of the campaign. The German coach, the new man at the helm, has displayed potential albeit within a tiny sample size. The technical areas witnessed a generation game; Röhl is 36, his counterpart the Roma manager is sixty-seven.

A further factor was far more striking as the teams lined up. Rangers’ obvious lack of height against the Italians looked ominous. This point was proven within 13 minutes as Bryan Cristante comfortably redirected a corner at the near post. Following up, the Argentine winger sprinted into space to knock his team ahead. The visitors without the unavailable Evan Ferguson and Paulo Dybala, who have been criticised for bluntness despite reasonable performances in this campaign, were delighted with their early advantage.

Rangers should have equalised instantly. Rather, Youssef Chermiti screwed his shot wide after a mix-up in the Roma defence. Chermiti’s £8m signing from Everton has piled pressure on the Rangers transfer hierarchy. He has at least the physical attributes to be an effective centre forward but appears reluctant or incapable to utilize them fully.

The Italian outfit dominated opening period the ball thereafter. They doubled their lead through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose bent effort into the far post of Jack Butland’s net came after a lay off from the Ukrainian forward. Rangers will bemoan the fact Pellegrini was left in complete freedom but it was a gorgeous finish. The stadium, usually a raucous place on continental evenings, had been silenced nine minutes before the break. Even the boos which met the half-time whistle were subdued; Rangers were simply in the process of being outclassed.

The second period began against a unusual backdrop. Those Rangers fans directed their focus once again towards the top executive, the CEO, and sporting director, the director. A pair of displays, clearly menacing in tone, showed the duo with bullseyes on their images. It raises questions what the Rangers chairman makes of the situation. Ultimately, Andrew Cavenagh had an anonymous life as a successful businessman in the US before fronting a takeover of Rangers. Paying punters have not turned on the owner yet but there is a mutinous mood around the club. This is easy to understand; Rangers’ management is wholly unconvincing.

As if scripted, the striker was played in on the keeper on the 60-minute mark and hit the outside of the goal. That moment sparked Rangers’ best period of the game, in which their replacement the young midfielder fired just wide. It was, however, hard to determine Roma’s continued offensive intent until the full-back was given a chance all of a yard out which he somehow lifted and on to the underside of the crossbar.

That opportunity as far as clear-cut chances were concerned. The series of substitutions from each side meant this fixture ended more in the fashion of a summer exhibition than serious contest. This of course suited the Italians perfectly. It prompted reflection to consider how exactly the Glasgow club, runners-up in this tournament in recently and worthy of the quarter-finals a season ago, arrived at the point of just participating.