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Roma displayed admirable efficiency about the way Roma dealt with this trip to Scotland. Minimum of fuss. 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 Roma and a Rangers side that has now suffered defeat in a club record seven continental matches in a row.

Positively, Rangers at least huffed and puffed during a later period when capitulation felt the more likely outcome. However, the match was decided as a contest by then. Rangers remain anchored at the bottom of the tournament, which should constitute an disgrace to a club of such stature. The Giallorossi have eyes again on making proper impact. One slight disappointment in this match was in not producing a result that truly reflected the mismatch in quality.

Surprisingly, this marked only Roma’s second-ever European joust with a team from Scotland since Fairs Cup business with Hibernian in 1961. The previous one, against Dundee United over two decades later, became overshadowed (to put it mildly) by the bribing of a referee. In those days, teams from Scotland could compete with the top sides in the continent. This season has seen the co-efficient drop to a point that will soon have major ramifications.

The new manager’s key attribute so far as the fanbase are concerned is that he isn’t Russell Martin. The latter’s dismal spell as the manager lasted 123 days in the early part of the campaign. Röhl, the new man at the helm, has displayed potential though within a limited timeframe. The technical areas witnessed a clash of generations; Röhl is thirty-six, his opposite number Gian Piero Gasperini is sixty-seven.

Another element was much more noticeable as the sides took the field. Rangers’ obvious lack of height against the Italians looked worrying. That concern was proven within 13 minutes as Bryan Cristante easily redirected a set-piece at the front post. At the back, Matías Soulé burst forward to knock his team ahead. A Roma team minus the injured their young striker and Paulo Dybala, who have been questioned for bluntness even with reasonable performances in the tournament, were delighted with their early advantage.

Rangers should have levelled matters immediately. Instead, the forward sent his effort off target after a defensive error in the Roma defence. Chermiti’s £8m purchase from Everton has piled pressure on the club’s recruitment team. Chermiti possesses at least the physique to be an productive striker but appears unwilling or unable to utilize them fully.

The Italian outfit controlled first-half possession thereafter. Roma extended their advantage through their captain, whose bent effort into the far post of the goalkeeper’s net came after a lay off from the Ukrainian forward. The hosts will lament the fact the midfielder was left in complete freedom but it was a superb strike. Ibrox, typically a raucous venue on European nights, had been silenced with time still remaining until halftime. Even the boos which met the interval were timid; the home team were simply in the process of being overwhelmed.

The second period started against a unusual atmosphere. Those Rangers fans turned their attentions for the latest time towards the top executive, Patrick Stewart, and sporting director, Kevin Thelwell. A pair of displays, clearly menacing in tone, depicted the duo with targets on their faces. One wonders what the Rangers chairman thinks about all this. After all, the chairman had an low-profile life as a wealthy entrepreneur in the United States before fronting a acquisition of this club. Fans have not turned on the owner so far but there is a mutinous mood in the air. It is one which is unsurprising; The team’s management is wholly unconvincing.

As if scripted, Chermiti was sent through on goal on the hour mark and found only the side netting. That moment sparked the home side’s best period of the game, in which their replacement Thelo Aasgaard fired just wide. Yet, nonetheless, hard to determine Roma’s continued offensive intent until the full-back was given a chance from close range which he somehow lifted and on to the underside of the crossbar.

That was it as far as clear-cut opportunity were involved. The raft of substitutions from each side meant this game ended more in the fashion of a pre-season friendly than serious contest. That scenario benefited Roma fine. It prompted reflection to ponder how exactly the Glasgow club, finalists in this tournament in 2022 and strong enough of the last eight a season ago, arrived at the point of just participating.