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Roma displayed impressive effectiveness in the way the Italian side dealt with this trip to Scotland. Minimum of fuss. Roma from Rome did, nonetheless, face manageable rivals when placing their Europa League bid on the right path. Observers noted a obvious gulf in quality between Roma and a Rangers squad that has now suffered defeat in a team record seven continental matches consecutively.

To their credit, Rangers at least fought hard during a second half when capitulation felt the more likely outcome. However, the match was settled as a contest by then. The Scottish club remain anchored at the bottom of the Europa League, which should constitute an embarrassment to a team of this standing. The Giallorossi have eyes again on making proper impact. One slight disappointment here was in not delivering a scoreline appropriately depicting men against boys.

Amazingly, this represented only Roma’s second European joust with a team from Scotland since Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibs in 1961. Their last such match, against the Terrors over two decades later, became overshadowed (to put it politely) by the bribing of a match official. Back then, Scottish clubs could vie with the best in the continent. This season has seen the co-efficient drop to a level that will soon have huge ramifications.

Danny Röhl’s main quality so far as the Rangers support are see it is that he is not Russell Martin. Martin’s ghastly tenure as the manager lasted 123 days in the early part of the campaign. Röhl, the recent appointment at the helm, has displayed potential though within a limited timeframe. The technical areas saw a clash of generations; Röhl is 36, his counterpart Gian Piero Gasperini is 67.

Another element was much more noticeable as the teams took the field. The home team’s obvious short stature against the Italians looked worrying. That concern was proven within 13 minutes as Bryan Cristante easily redirected a corner at the front post. At the back, Matías Soulé sprinted into space to fire his team ahead. A Roma team minus the injured Evan Ferguson and their star attacker, who have been questioned for lack of cutting edge even with decent performances in the tournament, were pleased with their quick lead.

The Ibrox side could have equalised instantly. Rather, the forward sent his effort off target after a mix-up in the visitors’ backline. Chermiti’s £8m purchase from the Toffees has piled pressure on the club’s recruitment team. He has at least the physique to be an effective striker but appears reluctant or incapable to utilize them fully.

Roma controlled first-half the ball from that point. They 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 Pellegrini was left in complete freedom but it was a gorgeous finish. Ibrox, usually a raucous place on continental evenings, had been quietened nine minutes before the break. The discontent which met the interval were timid; the home team were simply in the midst of being outclassed.

After the break started against a unusual atmosphere. Those Rangers fans directed their focus for the latest time towards the top executive, the CEO, 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 makes of the situation. Ultimately, the chairman had an low-profile career as a wealthy entrepreneur in the United States before leading a acquisition of Rangers. Fans have not turned on the owner so far but there is a mutinous feeling in the air. This is unsurprising; Rangers’ leadership is wholly unimpressive.

Right on cue, Chermiti was played in on goal on the 60-minute mark and hit the outside of the goal. This actually triggered Rangers’ best period of the match, in which their replacement Thelo Aasgaard fired just wide. Yet, however, difficult to gauge the visitors’ remaining offensive intent until the full-back was presented with a opportunity from close range which he somehow hit up and onto the bottom of the bar.

That was it as far as meaningful opportunity were involved. The series of substitutions from both teams meant this fixture closed more in the fashion of a summer exhibition than competitive match. That scenario benefited Roma fine. It prompted reflection to consider how on earth the Glasgow club, runners-up in this tournament in recently and worthy of the quarter-finals a last year, arrived at the stage of making up the numbers.