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There was admirable efficiency in the way the Italian side dealt with this trip to Scotland. Without much drama. The team from Italy’s capital did, nonetheless, face manageable rivals when placing their European competition bid on the right path. There was a glaring difference in class between Roma and a Rangers side that has now lost a club record seven European games consecutively.

Positively, the home side at least huffed and puffed during a second half when capitulation felt the more likely option. However, the match was settled as a competition by then. The Scottish club remain anchored at the bottom of the Europa League, which should represent an disgrace to a team of this standing. Roma have eyes again on achieving significant success. Their only regret here was in not producing a result appropriately depicting the mismatch in quality.

Surprisingly, this represented only the Roman club’s second European joust with Scottish opposition since Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibs in 1961. Their last such match, against Dundee United 23 years later, became marred (to put it politely) by the bribing of a match official. Back then, Scottish clubs could compete with the top sides in Europe. The current campaign has seen the UEFA coefficient plunge to a level that will soon have huge ramifications.

The new manager’s key attribute up to now as the Rangers support are concerned is that he isn’t Russell Martin. Martin’s ghastly spell as the manager lasted 123 days in the initial phase of this season. The German coach, the new man at the helm, has shown promise albeit within a limited timeframe. The technical areas saw a clash of generations; the Rangers boss is thirty-six, his counterpart Gian Piero Gasperini is sixty-seven.

A further factor was far more striking as the teams lined up. Rangers’ obvious short stature against the Italians looked worrying. That concern was confirmed within 13 minutes as the Roma midfielder easily redirected a corner at the front post. Following up, the Argentine winger sprinted into space to knock Roma in front. A Roma team without the unavailable their young striker and their star attacker, who have been criticised for lack of cutting edge even with reasonable performances in the tournament, were pleased with their quick lead.

The Ibrox side should have equalised immediately. Rather, Youssef Chermiti screwed his shot wide after a defensive error in the visitors’ backline. The player’s eight-million-pound signing 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 use them.

The Italian outfit controlled opening period possession from that point. They extended their advantage through their captain, whose curling shot into the far post of the goalkeeper’s net arrived after a pass from Artem Dovbyk. Rangers will lament the fact Pellegrini stood in blissful isolation but it was a gorgeous strike. Ibrox, usually a raucous place on European nights, had been quietened nine minutes before the break. Even the boos which greeted the half-time whistle were timid; Rangers were simply in the midst of being outclassed.

After the break began against a unusual backdrop. Supporters turned their attentions for the latest time towards the club’s chief executive, Patrick Stewart, and transfer chief, the director. Two banners, clearly menacing in tone, showed the duo with bullseyes on their faces. It raises questions what the Rangers chairman thinks about all this. Ultimately, the chairman had an low-profile career as a successful businessman in the US before leading a acquisition of Rangers. Fans have not turned on the owner yet but there is a rebellious feeling in the air. It is one which is unsurprising; The team’s management is wholly unimpressive.

Right on cue, Chermiti was played in on goal on the hour mark and found only the outside of the goal. That moment sparked the home side’s finest spell of the match, in which their replacement Thelo Aasgaard fired just wide. Yet, however, hard to determine the visitors’ continued offensive intent until Zeki Celik was presented with a opportunity 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 series of changes from each side resulted in this fixture closed more in the style of a summer exhibition than competitive match. This of course suited the Italians fine. It prompted reflection to ponder how on earth the Glasgow club, runners-up in this competition in 2022 and strong enough of the last eight a last year, reached the point of making up the numbers.