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There was admirable efficiency in the way the Italian side handled this trip to Scotland. Without much drama. Roma from Rome did, nonetheless, face manageable rivals when placing their European competition bid on the right path. There was a glaring gulf in quality between the Serie A outfit and a Rangers squad that has now suffered defeat in a club record seven European games in a row.

Positively, Rangers at least fought hard during a second half when surrender felt the probable outcome. However, the game was settled as a competition by then. The Scottish club remain anchored at the foot of the tournament, which should constitute an disgrace to a club of this standing. The Giallorossi have ambitions once more on achieving significant success. Their only regret in this match was in not producing a result appropriately depicting men against boys.

Amazingly, this represented only the Roman club’s second European joust with Scottish opposition since Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibernian in 1961. The previous one, against Dundee United over two decades later, became marred (to put it mildly) by the corruption of a referee. Back then, Scottish clubs could vie with the top sides in the continent. This season has seen the UEFA coefficient plunge to a point that will soon have major consequences.

The new manager’s main quality up to now as the Rangers support are concerned is that he isn’t his predecessor. The latter’s ghastly tenure as the manager continued for just over four months in the early part of this season. The German coach, the new man at the helm, has displayed potential albeit within a tiny sample size. The dugouts saw a clash of generations; the Rangers boss is thirty-six, his counterpart Gian Piero Gasperini is 67.

Another element was much more noticeable as the teams lined up. Rangers’ obvious short stature against the Italians looked ominous. That concern was proven within 13 minutes as Bryan Cristante comfortably redirected a corner at the front post. At the back, the Argentine winger burst forward to knock Roma ahead. A Roma team without the injured their young striker and their star attacker, who have been questioned for bluntness even with decent performances in the tournament, were delighted with their early advantage.

Rangers could have levelled matters immediately. Instead, the forward screwed his shot wide after a defensive error in the visitors’ backline. Chermiti’s eight-million-pound signing from Everton has increased scrutiny of the Rangers transfer hierarchy. He has at least the physique to be an productive centre forward but seems unwilling or unable to utilize them fully.

Roma controlled first-half possession from that point. Roma extended their advantage through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose bent effort into the far post of the goalkeeper’s net came after a pass from Artem Dovbyk. The hosts will bemoan the fact the midfielder was left in blissful isolation but it was a gorgeous finish. Ibrox, usually a raucous place on continental evenings, had been silenced with time still remaining before the break. The discontent which greeted the half-time whistle were subdued; Rangers were simply in the midst of being overwhelmed.

After the break began against a unusual atmosphere. Those Rangers fans directed their focus for the latest time towards the club’s chief executive, the CEO, and transfer chief, Kevin Thelwell. A pair of displays, obviously menacing in message, showed the pair with bullseyes on their faces. It raises questions what the club owner thinks about all this. After all, Andrew Cavenagh enjoyed an low-profile life as a successful businessman in the US before fronting a takeover of Rangers. Fans have not turned on the owner yet but there is a mutinous feeling around the club. It is one which is easy to understand; Rangers’ management is wholly unimpressive.

Right on cue, the striker was played in on goal on the hour mark and hit the side netting. That moment sparked the home side’s best period of the game, in which their replacement the young midfielder shot narrowly past the post. It was, nonetheless, difficult to gauge Roma’s remaining attacking motivation until the full-back was given a opportunity all of a yard out which he inexplicably lifted and onto the underside of the crossbar.

That was it as far as meaningful opportunity were involved. The raft of substitutions from each side resulted in this game closed more in the fashion of a summer exhibition than competitive match. That scenario benefited Roma perfectly. It prompted reflection to consider how exactly the Glasgow club, runners-up in this tournament in 2022 and worthy of the quarter-finals a last year, arrived at the stage of making up the numbers.