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Roma displayed impressive effectiveness about the way Roma handled this trip to Scotland. Minimum of fuss. Roma from Rome did, however, face manageable rivals when placing their European competition bid on the right path. Observers noted a obvious gulf in quality between Roma and a Rangers side that has now lost a team record seven European games consecutively.

Positively, the home side at least huffed and puffed during a later period when capitulation felt the probable option. However, the game was settled as a competition at that stage. Rangers remain anchored at the foot of the Europa League, which should constitute an embarrassment to a club of such stature. Roma have eyes once more on achieving significant success. Their only regret in this match was in not producing a result appropriately depicting the mismatch in quality.

Surprisingly, this marked only Roma’s second-ever continental encounter with a team from Scotland since the historic Fairs Cup business with Hibernian in 1961. Their last such match, against the Terrors over two decades later, became marred (to put it politely) by the corruption of a match official. Back then, Scottish clubs could compete with the best in Europe. The current campaign has seen the co-efficient plunge to a point that will soon have huge consequences.

The new manager’s key attribute up to now as the fanbase are concerned is that he isn’t his predecessor. Martin’s ghastly tenure as the head coach lasted 123 days in the early part of the campaign. Röhl, the recent appointment at the helm, has displayed potential though within a tiny sample size. The dugouts witnessed a clash of generations; the Rangers boss is 36, his opposite number Gian Piero Gasperini is 67.

Another element was much more noticeable as the teams took the field. The home team’s obvious short stature against the Italians looked ominous. That concern was proven within 13 minutes as Bryan Cristante easily redirected a set-piece at the near post. Following up, Matías Soulé sprinted into space to knock his team ahead. The visitors minus the injured their young striker and Paulo Dybala, who have been criticised for lack of cutting edge even with decent results in the tournament, were delighted with their quick lead.

The Ibrox side should have equalised instantly. Rather, the forward screwed his shot wide after a mix-up in the visitors’ backline. Chermiti’s £8m signing from Everton has increased scrutiny of the Rangers transfer hierarchy. He has at least the physique to be an effective centre forward but appears reluctant or incapable to utilize them fully.

The Italian outfit dominated opening period the ball from that point. Roma extended their advantage through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose curling shot into the far post of the goalkeeper’s net arrived after a lay off from Artem Dovbyk. The hosts will bemoan the fact the midfielder stood in complete freedom but it was a gorgeous strike. Ibrox, typically a raucous place on continental evenings, had been silenced with time still remaining before the break. The discontent which met the half-time whistle were timid; Rangers were clearly in the process of being overwhelmed.

The second period began against a curious atmosphere. Those Rangers fans directed their focus once again towards the top executive, Patrick Stewart, and transfer chief, the director. A pair of displays, obviously sinister in tone, showed the duo with targets on their faces. It raises questions what the Rangers chairman thinks about the situation. Ultimately, the chairman had an anonymous life as a successful businessman in the United States before fronting a acquisition of this club. Paying punters have not turned on the owner so far but there is a mutinous feeling around the club. This is easy to understand; The team’s leadership is completely unconvincing.

As if scripted, the striker was sent through on the keeper on the hour mark and hit the outside of the goal. That moment sparked the home side’s best period of the match, in which their substitute the young midfielder fired just wide. It was, nonetheless, difficult to determine the visitors’ remaining attacking motivation until the full-back was presented with a opportunity all of a yard out which he inexplicably hit up and on to the bottom of the crossbar.

That was it as far as meaningful chances were involved. The series of changes from both teams resulted in this fixture ended more in the style of a summer exhibition than serious contest. This of course suited the Italians fine. There was cause to ponder how exactly the Glasgow club, finalists in this competition in 2022 and worthy of the quarter-finals a last year, arrived at the point of making up the numbers.