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Roma displayed admirable efficiency about the way Roma dealt with this trip to Scotland. Minimum of fuss. The team from Italy’s capital did, nonetheless, face manageable rivals when putting their Europa League bid back on track. There was a obvious gulf in quality between the Serie A outfit and a Rangers squad that has now lost a team record seven continental matches consecutively.

To their credit, the home side at least huffed and puffed during a later period when surrender felt the probable option. Yet, the game was settled as a contest by then. Rangers remain anchored at the foot of the Europa League, which should represent an disgrace to a team of such stature. The Giallorossi have ambitions again on making proper impact. One slight disappointment here was in not producing a scoreline appropriately depicting the mismatch in quality.

Surprisingly, this marked only the Roman club’s second continental encounter with Scottish opposition since Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibernian in the early 60s. Their last such match, against the Terrors 23 years later, became overshadowed (to put it politely) by the bribing of a referee. Back then, Scottish clubs could vie with the top sides in the continent. This season has seen the UEFA coefficient drop to a level that will soon have huge consequences.

The new manager’s main quality so far as the Rangers support are concerned is that he is not Russell Martin. The latter’s dismal tenure as the head coach lasted 123 days in the early part of the campaign. The German coach, the new man at the helm, has shown promise albeit within a tiny sample size. The technical areas witnessed 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 lack of height against the visitors looked worrying. That concern was proven within the opening quarter-hour as Bryan Cristante easily redirected a set-piece at the front post. Following up, Matías Soulé sprinted into space to knock his team in front. A Roma team minus the unavailable their young striker and their star attacker, who have been criticised for bluntness even with reasonable performances in this campaign, were pleased with their quick lead.

Rangers should have equalised instantly. Instead, the forward screwed his shot wide after a defensive error 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 physique to be an productive striker but appears reluctant or incapable to use them.

The Italian outfit controlled opening period the ball thereafter. Roma extended their advantage through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose curling shot into the far post of Jack Butland’s net came after a lay off from the Ukrainian forward. Rangers will bemoan the fact the midfielder was left in complete freedom but it was a gorgeous finish. The stadium, usually a raucous place on European nights, had been quietened with time still remaining before the break. The discontent which met the interval were subdued; the home team were clearly in the midst of being overwhelmed.

The second period began against a curious backdrop. Supporters turned their attentions for the latest time towards the top executive, the CEO, and sporting director, Kevin Thelwell. A pair of displays, obviously menacing in message, depicted the pair with targets on their faces. One wonders what the Rangers chairman makes of all this. Ultimately, Andrew Cavenagh had an anonymous life as a wealthy entrepreneur in the US before fronting a acquisition of Rangers. Fans have not targeted Cavenagh yet but there is a rebellious mood around the club. This is unsurprising; Rangers’ leadership is completely unimpressive.

As if scripted, the striker was played in on the keeper on the 60-minute mark and found only the outside of the goal. This actually triggered Rangers’ finest spell of the game, in which their replacement the young midfielder shot narrowly past the post. Yet, however, hard to determine the visitors’ remaining offensive intent until Zeki Celik was presented with a chance all of a yard out which he somehow lifted and on to the underside of the bar.

That was it as far as meaningful opportunity were involved. The series of changes from each side meant this game closed more in the fashion of a pre-season friendly than competitive match. This of course suited the Italians fine. It prompted reflection to consider how on earth the Glasgow club, finalists in this competition in recently and strong enough of the last eight a last year, reached the stage of just participating.