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Roma displayed impressive effectiveness about the way Roma handled this trip to Scotland. Minimum of fuss. Roma 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 side that has now lost a club record seven continental matches in a row.

Positively, the home side at least fought hard during a later period when capitulation felt the probable outcome. However, the game was decided as a competition at that stage. The Scottish club remain anchored at the foot of the tournament, which should constitute an embarrassment to a team of this standing. Roma have eyes again on making proper impact. Their only regret in this match was in not delivering a scoreline appropriately depicting the mismatch in quality.

Surprisingly, this represented only the Roman club’s second European joust with a team from Scotland since the historic Fairs Cup business with Hibs in the early 60s. Their last such match, against the Terrors 23 years later, became marred (to put it politely) by the bribing of a referee. In those days, teams from Scotland could compete with the best in Europe. This season has seen the UEFA coefficient plunge to a point that will soon have major ramifications.

Danny Röhl’s key attribute up to now as the fanbase are see it is that he is not his predecessor. The latter’s ghastly spell as the head coach continued for 123 days in the early part of the campaign. Röhl, the new man at the helm, has shown promise 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 teams lined up. Rangers’ glaring lack of height against the Italians looked ominous. That concern was confirmed within the opening quarter-hour as the Roma midfielder comfortably redirected a corner at the near post. Following up, the Argentine winger sprinted into space to knock his team ahead. The visitors without the unavailable their young striker and Paulo Dybala, who have been questioned for lack of cutting edge even with reasonable results in the tournament, were pleased with their early advantage.

Rangers could have equalised instantly. Rather, the forward screwed his shot wide after a defensive error in the Roma defence. Chermiti’s £8m purchase from Everton has piled pressure on the club’s recruitment team. He has at least the physical attributes to be an productive striker but seems reluctant or incapable to utilize them fully.

The Italian outfit dominated opening period the ball from that point. Roma extended their advantage through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose bent effort into the far post of Jack Butland’s net came after a pass from the Ukrainian forward. Rangers will bemoan the fact the midfielder was left in complete freedom but it was a superb strike. The stadium, typically a raucous venue on continental evenings, had been silenced nine minutes before the break. Even the boos which greeted the half-time whistle were subdued; Rangers were simply in the midst of being outclassed.

After the break began against a unusual backdrop. Those Rangers fans turned their attentions once again towards the club’s chief executive, Patrick Stewart, and sporting director, the director. Two banners, clearly sinister in message, depicted the duo with targets on their images. One wonders what the club owner thinks about all this. Ultimately, Andrew Cavenagh had an anonymous career as a successful businessman in the United States before leading a takeover of this club. Fans have not turned on Cavenagh yet but there is a mutinous feeling around the club. It is one which is unsurprising; Rangers’ leadership is wholly unconvincing.

Right on cue, the striker was sent through on the keeper on the hour mark and hit the outside of the goal. This actually triggered the home side’s best period of the match, in which their substitute the young midfielder fired just wide. Yet, nonetheless, difficult to gauge Roma’s remaining offensive intent until the full-back was given a opportunity all of a yard out which he somehow hit up and on to the underside of the bar.

That was it as far as meaningful chances were concerned. The series of substitutions from both teams resulted in this game ended more in the fashion of a summer exhibition than competitive match. That scenario benefited the Italians perfectly. There was cause to ponder how on earth Rangers, runners-up in this competition in 2022 and strong enough of the last eight a season ago, reached the point of just participating.