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There was impressive effectiveness about 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 European competition bid back on track. There was a glaring difference in class between the Serie A outfit and a the Scottish team side that has now suffered defeat in a team record seven continental matches in a row.

Positively, the home side at least huffed and puffed during a later period when capitulation felt the more likely outcome. Yet, the match was settled as a competition by then. The Scottish club remain rooted to the bottom of the Europa League, which should represent an embarrassment to a club of this standing. Roma have eyes once more on achieving significant success. Their only regret here was in not delivering 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 Hibs in 1961. The previous one, against Dundee United over two decades later, became overshadowed (to put it politely) by the bribing of a referee. In those days, Scottish clubs could compete with the top sides in the continent. This season has seen the UEFA coefficient plunge to a level that will shortly have huge ramifications.

Danny Röhl’s key attribute up to now as the fanbase are concerned is that he is not his predecessor. The latter’s dismal spell as the head coach continued for 123 days in the early part of this season. Röhl, the recent appointment at the helm, has displayed potential though within a tiny sample size. The technical areas saw a generation game; Röhl 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 short stature against the visitors looked ominous. This point was proven within the opening quarter-hour as the Roma midfielder easily flicked on a corner at the front post. At the back, Matías Soulé burst forward to fire his team ahead. The visitors minus the unavailable Evan Ferguson and Paulo Dybala, who have been criticised for bluntness even with decent results in this campaign, were pleased with their early advantage.

The Ibrox side could have levelled matters immediately. Rather, Youssef Chermiti screwed his shot wide after a defensive error in the Roma defence. The player’s £8m purchase from the Toffees has piled pressure on the Rangers transfer hierarchy. Chermiti possesses at least the physical attributes to be an effective centre forward but appears reluctant or incapable to utilize them fully.

The Italian outfit controlled first-half possession from that point. They doubled their lead through their captain, whose bent effort into the bottom corner 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 superb strike. Ibrox, typically a raucous place on European nights, had been quietened nine minutes until halftime. Even the boos which met the interval were timid; Rangers were simply in the midst of being overwhelmed.

After the break started against a curious backdrop. Those Rangers fans directed their focus once again towards the top executive, Patrick Stewart, and transfer chief, the director. A pair of displays, clearly menacing in tone, depicted the duo with targets on their faces. One wonders what the club owner makes of the situation. Ultimately, Andrew Cavenagh had an anonymous career as a wealthy entrepreneur in the United States before leading a acquisition of this club. Fans have not targeted the owner so far but there is a mutinous mood around the club. It is one which is unsurprising; Rangers’ management is completely unimpressive.

Right on cue, the striker was sent through on goal on the hour mark and found only the side netting. That moment sparked the home side’s finest spell of the game, in which their replacement the young midfielder shot narrowly past the post. It was, nonetheless, hard to gauge the visitors’ remaining attacking motivation until Zeki Celik was given a opportunity from close range which he somehow hit up and on to the underside of the bar.

That opportunity as far as meaningful opportunity were involved. The series of substitutions from each side resulted in this fixture ended more in the style of a summer exhibition than serious contest. That scenario benefited the Italians fine. It prompted reflection to ponder how exactly the Glasgow club, runners-up in this competition in recently and worthy of the quarter-finals a season ago, arrived at the point of just participating.