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Roma displayed impressive effectiveness about the way the Italian side handled this trip to Glasgow. Without much drama. The team from Italy’s capital did, however, face manageable rivals when putting their European competition bid back on track. There was a glaring gulf in quality between the Serie A outfit and a the Scottish team squad that has now lost a team record seven continental matches consecutively.

Positively, Rangers at least fought hard during a later period when capitulation felt the more likely option. Yet, the game was decided as a competition by then. The Scottish club remain anchored at the foot of the tournament, which should represent an disgrace to a team of this standing. Roma have ambitions once more on achieving significant success. One slight disappointment in this match was in not producing a result that truly reflected men against boys.

Amazingly, this represented only Roma’s second-ever continental encounter with Scottish opposition since the historic Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibernian in 1961. The previous one, against Dundee United over two decades later, became overshadowed (to put it mildly) by the corruption of a match official. In those days, Scottish clubs could vie with the top sides in the continent. This season has seen the co-efficient drop to a level that will soon have huge consequences.

The new manager’s main quality up to now as the Rangers support are see it is that he is not Russell Martin. The latter’s ghastly tenure as the manager continued for just over four months in the early part of the campaign. The German coach, the recent appointment at the helm, has shown promise though within a limited timeframe. The dugouts saw a clash of generations; the Rangers boss is thirty-six, his opposite number Gian Piero Gasperini is 67.

Another element was far more striking as the teams lined up. Rangers’ glaring lack of height against the Italians looked ominous. That concern was proven within 13 minutes as the Roma midfielder comfortably redirected a corner at the front post. At the back, Matías Soulé sprinted into space to knock his team in front. A Roma team minus the injured their young striker and their star attacker, who have been questioned for lack of cutting edge despite reasonable performances in the tournament, were pleased with their early advantage.

Rangers should have levelled matters instantly. Rather, Youssef Chermiti screwed his shot wide after a defensive error in the Roma defence. The player’s eight-million-pound purchase from the Toffees has increased scrutiny of the Rangers transfer hierarchy. He has at least the physical attributes to be an effective striker but appears unwilling or unable to utilize them fully.

Roma dominated first-half the ball from that point. They extended their advantage through their captain, whose curling shot into the far post of Jack Butland’s net came after a lay off from Artem Dovbyk. The hosts will lament the fact the midfielder was left in complete freedom but it was a gorgeous finish. The stadium, typically a boisterous place 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 clearly in the midst of being outclassed.

After the break began against a curious atmosphere. Those Rangers fans directed their focus for the latest time towards the top executive, the CEO, and sporting director, Kevin Thelwell. Two banners, obviously menacing in tone, depicted the pair with targets on their images. One wonders what the club owner thinks about the situation. Ultimately, Andrew Cavenagh enjoyed an low-profile life as a successful businessman in the United States before fronting a takeover of Rangers. Paying punters have not targeted the owner yet but there is a mutinous feeling around the club. It is one which is unsurprising; Rangers’ leadership is completely unimpressive.

Right on cue, Chermiti was sent through on the keeper on the 60-minute mark and found only the outside of the goal. That moment sparked the home side’s finest spell of the game, in which their replacement the young midfielder fired just wide. It was, nonetheless, hard to determine the visitors’ remaining offensive intent until the full-back was presented with a chance from close range which he somehow hit up and on to the underside of the bar.

That was it as far as meaningful opportunity were involved. The series of substitutions from each side meant this fixture ended more in the style of a pre-season friendly than competitive match. That scenario benefited Roma fine. It prompted reflection to ponder how on earth the Glasgow club, runners-up in this competition in recently and worthy of the quarter-finals a season ago, arrived at the stage of making up the numbers.