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Roma displayed impressive effectiveness about the way the Italian side handled this journey to Glasgow. Minimum of fuss. The team from Italy’s capital did, nonetheless, meet favourable opposition when placing their Europa League bid on the right path. There was a obvious gulf in quality between Roma and a the Scottish team side that has now suffered defeat in a club record seven European games in a row.

Positively, the home side at least fought hard during a second half when surrender felt the more likely outcome. Yet, the game was settled as a contest at that stage. The Scottish club remain anchored at the foot of the Europa League, which should represent an disgrace to a team of this standing. The Giallorossi have eyes again on making proper impact. One slight disappointment in this match was in not producing a result appropriately depicting the mismatch in quality.

Surprisingly, this represented only Roma’s second continental encounter with a team from Scotland since the historic Fairs Cup business with Hibernian 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. In those days, teams from Scotland could vie with the top sides in the continent. The current campaign has seen the co-efficient plunge to a point that will shortly have huge consequences.

Danny Röhl’s main quality up to now as the Rangers support are see it is that he is not Russell Martin. The latter’s ghastly spell as the manager lasted 123 days in the initial phase of this season. Röhl, the recent appointment at the helm, has shown promise albeit within a limited timeframe. The technical areas saw a generation game; Röhl is 36, his counterpart the Roma manager is sixty-seven.

A further factor was far more striking as the sides lined up. Rangers’ glaring lack of height against the visitors looked ominous. This point was confirmed within the opening quarter-hour as Bryan Cristante easily redirected a corner at the near post. At the back, the Argentine winger burst forward to knock Roma ahead. The visitors without the unavailable Evan Ferguson and their star attacker, who have been questioned for bluntness despite reasonable results in the tournament, were pleased with their early advantage.

Rangers could have levelled matters immediately. Instead, the forward screwed his shot wide after a mix-up in the Roma defence. The player’s £8m purchase from the Toffees has piled pressure on the Rangers transfer hierarchy. He has at least the physical attributes to be an productive centre forward but seems unwilling or unable to use them.

Roma controlled first-half possession thereafter. They doubled their lead 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 bemoan the fact Pellegrini was left in blissful isolation but it was a gorgeous finish. Ibrox, usually a raucous place on European nights, had been quietened with time still remaining before the break. The discontent which greeted the interval were subdued; the home team were simply in the process of being overwhelmed.

After the break began against a curious atmosphere. Those Rangers fans directed their focus for the latest time towards the top executive, Patrick Stewart, and transfer chief, the director. Two banners, obviously menacing in tone, depicted the pair with targets on their faces. One wonders what the Rangers chairman thinks about the situation. After all, Andrew Cavenagh had an anonymous career as a wealthy entrepreneur in the US before leading a acquisition of Rangers. Paying punters have not turned on Cavenagh yet but there is a rebellious mood in the air. It is one which is easy to understand; Rangers’ leadership is completely unimpressive.

As if scripted, the striker was played in on the keeper on the hour mark and hit the outside of the goal. This actually triggered Rangers’ finest spell of the match, in which their substitute Thelo Aasgaard fired just wide. Yet, nonetheless, difficult to determine Roma’s continued offensive intent until the full-back was presented with a chance all of a yard out which he inexplicably lifted and on to the bottom of the crossbar.

That opportunity as far as meaningful opportunity were involved. The raft of substitutions from each side meant this fixture ended more in the fashion of a summer exhibition than competitive match. That scenario benefited Roma fine. There was cause to consider how on earth the Glasgow club, finalists in this competition in recently and worthy of the last eight a last year, reached the stage of just participating.