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There was impressive effectiveness in the way the Italian side handled this trip to Scotland. Minimum of fuss. The team from Rome did, however, meet favourable opposition when putting their European competition 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 team record seven continental matches consecutively.

Positively, the home side at least fought hard during a second half when surrender felt the more likely option. Yet, the game was settled as a competition by then. Rangers remain anchored at the foot of the Europa League, which should constitute an disgrace to a club of such stature. Roma have ambitions once more on making proper impact. Their only regret here was in not producing a result appropriately depicting the mismatch in quality.

Amazingly, this marked only the Roman club’s second-ever European joust with a team from Scotland since Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibs in 1961. Their last such match, against Dundee United over two decades later, became overshadowed (to put it mildly) by the bribing of a match official. In those days, Scottish clubs could compete with the best in the continent. This season has seen the UEFA coefficient drop to a level that will soon have major consequences.

The new manager’s main quality up to now as the fanbase are see it is that he is not Russell Martin. The latter’s dismal spell as the head coach lasted just over four months in the initial phase of the campaign. The German coach, the new man at the helm, has shown promise though within a tiny sample size. The dugouts witnessed a generation game; Röhl is thirty-six, his counterpart the Roma manager is sixty-seven.

Another element was much more noticeable as the teams took the field. Rangers’ glaring lack of height against the Italians looked worrying. This point was confirmed within 13 minutes as Bryan Cristante easily flicked on a corner at the near post. At the back, Matías Soulé sprinted into space to knock his team ahead. The visitors minus the injured their young striker and their star attacker, who have been questioned for lack of cutting edge even with decent performances in the tournament, were pleased with their early advantage.

The Ibrox side could have equalised instantly. Instead, the forward sent his effort off target after a defensive error in the visitors’ backline. Chermiti’s £8m purchase from Everton has increased scrutiny of the club’s recruitment team. He has at least the physique to be an productive striker but appears reluctant or incapable to use them.

The Italian outfit dominated opening period possession thereafter. They extended their advantage through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose bent effort into the far post of Jack Butland’s net came after a lay off from Artem Dovbyk. Rangers will bemoan the fact Pellegrini was left in blissful isolation but it was a gorgeous finish. Ibrox, usually a boisterous place on continental evenings, had been silenced nine minutes before the break. Even the boos which greeted the interval were subdued; the home team were simply in the process of being outclassed.

The second period began against a curious backdrop. Those Rangers fans directed their focus once again towards the club’s chief executive, Patrick Stewart, and transfer chief, the director. A pair of displays, obviously sinister in message, showed the pair with bullseyes on their faces. One wonders what the Rangers chairman makes of all this. After all, the chairman had an low-profile life as a wealthy entrepreneur in the US before fronting a acquisition of this club. Fans have not targeted the owner yet but there is a mutinous feeling in the air. This is easy to understand; Rangers’ management is wholly unimpressive.

Right on cue, Chermiti was sent through on the keeper on the 60-minute mark and hit the outside of the goal. This actually triggered the home side’s best period of the match, in which their replacement Thelo Aasgaard fired just wide. Yet, however, difficult to gauge the visitors’ remaining attacking motivation until Zeki Celik was given a chance all of a yard out which he somehow hit up and on to the bottom of the bar.

That was it as far as clear-cut chances were concerned. The series of substitutions from each side meant this fixture ended more in the fashion of a summer exhibition than competitive match. This of course suited the Italians fine. It prompted reflection to ponder how on earth Rangers, runners-up in this competition in recently and strong enough of the quarter-finals a last year, reached the stage of just participating.