Matías Soulé along with Lorenzo Pellegrini on target as AS Roma overpower Glasgow Rangers

There was admirable efficiency in the way Roma handled this trip to Glasgow. Minimum of fuss. Roma from Rome did, however, face manageable rivals when placing their European competition bid back on track. Observers noted a glaring gulf in quality between Roma and a Rangers squad that has now suffered defeat in a club record seven continental matches consecutively.

To their credit, the home side at least fought hard during a later period when capitulation felt the more likely outcome. Yet, the match was settled as a contest by then. The Scottish club remain rooted to the foot of the Europa League, which should represent an embarrassment to a club of this standing. Roma have eyes once more on achieving significant success. One slight disappointment here was in not delivering a result that truly reflected the mismatch in quality.

Surprisingly, this represented only Roma’s second European joust with a team from Scotland since the historic Fairs Cup business with Hibs in the early 60s. Their last such match, against the Terrors over two decades later, became marred (to put it politely) by the bribing of a match official. Back then, teams from Scotland could vie with the top sides in Europe. The current campaign has seen the co-efficient plunge to a level that will soon have huge ramifications.

The new manager’s main quality so far as the Rangers support are concerned is that he is not his predecessor. The latter’s dismal tenure as the manager lasted just over four months in the early part of the campaign. The German coach, the recent appointment at the helm, has displayed potential though within a limited timeframe. The technical areas witnessed a generation game; Röhl is 36, his opposite number the Roma manager is 67.

A further factor was much more noticeable as the sides lined up. Rangers’ obvious short stature against the Italians looked ominous. This point was proven within 13 minutes as Bryan Cristante easily flicked on a set-piece at the near post. At the back, Matías Soulé burst forward to fire Roma ahead. A Roma team without the injured their young striker and Paulo Dybala, who have been criticised for bluntness even with decent performances in this campaign, were delighted with their quick lead.

The Ibrox side could have equalised instantly. Rather, the forward screwed his shot wide after a mix-up in the Roma defence. Chermiti’s eight-million-pound signing from the Toffees has piled pressure on the Rangers transfer hierarchy. He has at least the physique to be an effective striker but appears reluctant or incapable to utilize them fully.

The Italian outfit dominated first-half possession from that point. Roma doubled their lead through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose curling shot into the far post of the goalkeeper’s net came after a pass from the Ukrainian forward. Rangers will lament the fact the midfielder stood in complete freedom but it was a superb strike. Ibrox, typically a boisterous place on European nights, had been quietened nine minutes until halftime. Even the boos which greeted the interval were timid; the home team were clearly in the process of being overwhelmed.

After the break began against a curious atmosphere. Those Rangers fans turned their attentions for the latest time towards the club’s chief executive, Patrick Stewart, and transfer chief, Kevin Thelwell. Two banners, clearly menacing in message, showed the pair with targets on their faces. It raises questions what the club owner thinks about all this. After all, Andrew Cavenagh had an low-profile life as a wealthy entrepreneur in the US before fronting a takeover of Rangers. Fans have not targeted the owner so far but there is a mutinous feeling in the air. This is unsurprising; Rangers’ management is completely unimpressive.

As if scripted, Chermiti was sent through on the keeper on the hour mark and found only the outside of the goal. That moment sparked the home side’s best period of the game, in which their replacement the young midfielder shot narrowly past the post. It was, nonetheless, hard to determine the visitors’ remaining offensive intent until Zeki Celik was given a chance all of a yard out which he inexplicably hit up and on to the bottom of the bar.

That opportunity as far as meaningful opportunity were involved. The series of substitutions from both teams resulted in this game ended more in the style of a pre-season friendly than competitive match. That scenario benefited Roma fine. There was cause to ponder how exactly Rangers, runners-up in this competition in recently and worthy of the quarter-finals a season ago, arrived at the stage of just participating.