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There was admirable efficiency in the way Roma handled this trip to Scotland. Minimum of fuss. The team from Rome did, however, meet favourable opposition when putting their Europa League bid on the right path. There was a glaring difference in class between Roma and a Rangers squad 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 surrender felt the more likely option. Yet, the match was decided as a competition by then. Rangers remain anchored at the foot of the tournament, which should constitute an embarrassment to a club of such stature. Roma have eyes once more on achieving significant success. Their only regret in this match was in not delivering a scoreline that truly reflected the mismatch in quality.

Amazingly, this represented only the Roman club’s second-ever continental encounter with Scottish opposition since the historic Fairs Cup business with Hibs in 1961. Their last such match, against Dundee United over two decades later, became marred (to put it mildly) by the corruption of a referee. Back then, teams from Scotland could compete with the top sides in Europe. This season has seen the UEFA coefficient drop to a point that will soon have huge ramifications.

The new manager’s key attribute up to now as the fanbase are see it is that he isn’t his predecessor. The latter’s ghastly spell as the manager lasted just over four months in the initial phase of the campaign. Röhl, the recent appointment at the helm, has displayed potential though within a tiny sample size. The technical areas saw a generation game; the Rangers boss is 36, his counterpart the Roma manager is 67.

A further factor was far more striking as the sides lined up. Rangers’ obvious short stature against the visitors looked ominous. That concern was confirmed within 13 minutes as the Roma midfielder easily redirected a set-piece at the front post. At the back, Matías Soulé burst forward to knock Roma ahead. The visitors minus the injured Evan Ferguson and their star attacker, who have been criticised for lack of cutting edge even with reasonable performances in this campaign, were pleased with their early advantage.

Rangers should have equalised immediately. Instead, the forward sent his effort off target after a mix-up in the visitors’ backline. Chermiti’s eight-million-pound signing from the Toffees has piled pressure on the Rangers transfer hierarchy. Chermiti possesses at least the physical attributes to be an productive striker but seems unwilling or unable to use them.

The Italian outfit controlled opening period possession from that point. They extended their advantage through their captain, whose bent effort into the far post of Jack Butland’s net arrived after a pass from the Ukrainian forward. The hosts will bemoan the fact the midfielder stood in complete freedom but it was a superb finish. The stadium, usually a boisterous venue on European nights, had been silenced nine minutes before the break. The discontent which met the interval were timid; the home team were simply in the midst of being outclassed.

After the break started against a curious atmosphere. Those Rangers fans directed their focus for the latest time towards the club’s chief executive, Patrick Stewart, and sporting director, the director. Two banners, clearly menacing in message, depicted the pair with bullseyes on their faces. One wonders what the club owner makes of all this. Ultimately, Andrew Cavenagh enjoyed an anonymous career as a successful businessman in the United States before fronting a acquisition of this club. Fans have not turned on the owner yet but there is a mutinous mood around the club. It is one which is easy to understand; The team’s management is completely unimpressive.

As if scripted, Chermiti 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 game, in which their substitute the young midfielder fired just wide. Yet, nonetheless, hard to determine the visitors’ remaining attacking motivation until the full-back was presented with a opportunity all of a yard out which he somehow hit up and onto the bottom of the crossbar.

That was it as far as clear-cut chances were concerned. The series of changes from both teams meant this game ended more in the style of a summer exhibition than competitive match. That scenario benefited the Italians perfectly. There was cause to ponder how on earth Rangers, finalists in this competition in recently and strong enough of the quarter-finals a last year, reached the point of making up the numbers.