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There was admirable efficiency about the way the Italian side dealt with this trip to Glasgow. Minimum of fuss. Roma from Italy’s capital did, nonetheless, meet favourable opposition when placing their Europa League bid back on track. There was a obvious gulf in quality between the Serie A outfit and a Rangers side that has now suffered defeat in a club record seven European games consecutively.

Positively, the home side at least fought hard during a later period when surrender felt the probable option. Yet, the game was settled as a competition at that stage. The Scottish club remain rooted to the bottom of the Europa League, which should represent an embarrassment to a team of this standing. The Giallorossi have eyes once more on achieving significant success. One slight disappointment in this match was in not producing a result that truly reflected the mismatch in quality.

Surprisingly, this represented only Roma’s second continental encounter with a team from Scotland since Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibernian in the early 60s. Their last such match, against the Terrors over two decades later, became marred (to put it mildly) by the bribing of a match official. Back then, teams from Scotland could vie with the top sides in the continent. This season has seen the UEFA coefficient drop to a point that will shortly have major consequences.

Danny Röhl’s main quality up to now as the fanbase are concerned is that he is not Russell Martin. The latter’s ghastly spell as the head coach lasted 123 days in the early part of the campaign. The German coach, the recent appointment at the helm, has displayed potential albeit within a tiny sample size. The dugouts saw a clash of generations; Röhl is 36, his counterpart the Roma manager is sixty-seven.

A further factor was far more striking as the sides took the field. The home team’s obvious short stature against the visitors looked worrying. That concern was confirmed within 13 minutes as Bryan Cristante easily redirected a set-piece at the near post. Following up, the Argentine winger sprinted into space to knock Roma ahead. A Roma team minus the unavailable Evan Ferguson and Paulo Dybala, who have been questioned for lack of cutting edge despite reasonable results in this campaign, were pleased with their early advantage.

The Ibrox side could have equalised instantly. Rather, Youssef Chermiti sent his effort off target after a defensive error in the Roma defence. The player’s £8m purchase from the Toffees 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 use them.

The Italian outfit controlled opening period the ball from that point. Roma extended their advantage through their captain, whose curling shot into the far post of the goalkeeper’s net came after a lay off from Artem Dovbyk. Rangers will lament the fact the midfielder was left in complete freedom but it was a gorgeous strike. The stadium, usually a raucous place on European nights, had been quietened with time still remaining before the break. Even the boos which greeted the half-time whistle were timid; the home team were clearly in the process of being outclassed.

After the break started against a curious atmosphere. Those Rangers fans directed their focus once again towards the club’s chief executive, the CEO, and sporting director, Kevin Thelwell. Two banners, clearly menacing in message, showed the pair with bullseyes on their images. One wonders what the club owner makes of the situation. Ultimately, Andrew Cavenagh had an anonymous career as a wealthy entrepreneur in the US before leading a takeover of Rangers. Paying punters have not targeted the owner yet but there is a rebellious feeling in the air. This is unsurprising; The team’s management is wholly unconvincing.

As if scripted, the striker was played in on the keeper on the hour mark and found only the side netting. This actually triggered the home side’s best period of the game, in which their replacement Thelo Aasgaard fired just wide. It was, however, difficult to gauge the visitors’ remaining attacking motivation until the full-back was presented with a chance from close range which he inexplicably lifted and on to the bottom of the crossbar.

That opportunity as far as meaningful opportunity were involved. The series of changes from both teams resulted in this game closed more in the fashion of a summer exhibition than serious contest. This of course suited Roma perfectly. It prompted reflection to consider how on earth Rangers, finalists in this competition in recently and strong enough of the quarter-finals a last year, reached the stage of just participating.