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Roma displayed admirable efficiency in the way the Italian side dealt with this journey to Glasgow. Without much drama. Roma from Rome did, nonetheless, meet favourable opposition when putting their Europa League bid back on track. There was a obvious difference in class between Roma and a Rangers squad that has now lost a team record seven European games consecutively.

To their credit, the home side at least fought hard during a second half when capitulation felt the more likely option. However, the match was decided as a contest at that stage. Rangers remain anchored at the bottom of the tournament, which should represent an embarrassment to a team of such stature. Roma have eyes again on making proper impact. One slight disappointment in this match was in not producing a scoreline appropriately depicting men against boys.

Surprisingly, this represented only the Roman club’s second continental encounter with a team from Scotland since the historic Fairs Cup business with Hibernian in 1961. The previous one, against Dundee United 23 years later, became marred (to put it mildly) by the corruption of a match official. Back then, teams from Scotland could vie with the top sides in the continent. This season has seen the co-efficient plunge to a level that will shortly have major ramifications.

The new manager’s main quality up to now as the Rangers support are see it is that he is not his predecessor. The latter’s ghastly spell as the manager continued for 123 days in the initial phase of this season. The German coach, the new man at the helm, has displayed potential albeit within a tiny sample size. The dugouts witnessed a clash of generations; Röhl is thirty-six, his opposite number Gian Piero Gasperini is 67.

Another element was far more striking as the teams lined up. The home team’s glaring lack of height against the visitors looked ominous. This point was proven within 13 minutes as Bryan Cristante easily flicked on a set-piece at the near post. Following up, the Argentine winger burst forward to knock Roma in front. A Roma team without the injured Evan Ferguson and their star attacker, who have been criticised for bluntness despite decent results in the tournament, were delighted with their quick lead.

The Ibrox side should have equalised immediately. Instead, the forward sent his effort off target after a defensive error in the Roma defence. Chermiti’s £8m signing from Everton has increased scrutiny of the club’s recruitment team. He has at least the physique to be an productive striker but seems reluctant or incapable to utilize them fully.

Roma dominated opening period the ball thereafter. Roma doubled their lead through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose bent effort into the far post of Jack Butland’s net arrived after a lay off from Artem Dovbyk. Rangers will lament the fact the midfielder stood in complete freedom but it was a gorgeous strike. The stadium, usually a boisterous place on continental evenings, had been silenced with time still remaining before the break. Even the boos which greeted the interval were timid; the home team were simply in the process of being outclassed.

After the break started against a unusual atmosphere. Supporters turned their attentions for the latest time towards the club’s chief executive, Patrick Stewart, and sporting director, Kevin Thelwell. Two banners, clearly sinister in tone, showed the pair with bullseyes on their images. It raises questions what the Rangers chairman thinks about the situation. Ultimately, Andrew Cavenagh had an anonymous career as a successful businessman in the United States before fronting a acquisition of this club. Fans have not targeted Cavenagh so far but there is a rebellious mood around the club. It is one which is easy to understand; The team’s management is wholly unconvincing.

As if scripted, Chermiti was sent through on goal on the hour mark and found only the outside of the goal. That moment sparked the home side’s best period of the game, in which their substitute the young midfielder shot narrowly past the post. Yet, however, hard to gauge Roma’s continued attacking motivation until Zeki Celik was given a opportunity all of a yard out which he somehow lifted and onto the bottom of the bar.

That was it as far as clear-cut opportunity were involved. The series of changes from each side resulted in this fixture ended more in the fashion of a summer exhibition than competitive match. This of course suited Roma perfectly. There was cause to consider how exactly the Glasgow club, finalists in this competition in recently and strong enough of the quarter-finals a season ago, arrived at the stage of making up the numbers.