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There was admirable efficiency in the way the Italian side handled this journey to Glasgow. Minimum of fuss. Roma from Rome did, however, face manageable rivals when putting their European competition bid on the right path. There was a obvious gulf in quality between Roma and a the Scottish team squad that has now lost a club record seven continental matches in a row.

Positively, the home side at least fought hard during a second half when surrender felt the more likely outcome. However, the match was decided as a contest at that stage. The Scottish club remain rooted to the bottom of the Europa League, which should constitute an embarrassment to a team of this standing. The Giallorossi have ambitions once more on achieving significant success. One slight disappointment here was in not producing a result appropriately depicting men against boys.

Surprisingly, this marked only Roma’s second-ever European joust with a team from Scotland since the historic Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibs in the early 60s. Their last such match, against Dundee United over two decades later, became marred (to put it mildly) by the corruption of a match official. Back then, teams from Scotland could vie with the best in the continent. The current campaign has seen the co-efficient plunge to a point that will shortly have huge consequences.

The new manager’s key attribute up to now as the fanbase are see it is that he isn’t his predecessor. Martin’s dismal spell as the manager lasted 123 days in the early part of this season. The German coach, the recent appointment at the helm, has shown promise though within a limited timeframe. The technical areas witnessed a generation game; the Rangers boss is thirty-six, his counterpart Gian Piero Gasperini is 67.

Another element was much more noticeable as the teams took the field. The home team’s glaring lack of height against the Italians looked worrying. This point was proven within 13 minutes as the Roma midfielder comfortably redirected a set-piece at the front post. Following up, Matías Soulé burst forward to knock his team ahead. A Roma team without the injured Evan Ferguson and their star attacker, who have been criticised for bluntness even with decent results in this campaign, were delighted with their quick lead.

The Ibrox side could have levelled matters immediately. Instead, Youssef Chermiti screwed his shot wide after a defensive error in the visitors’ backline. The player’s eight-million-pound purchase from Everton has increased scrutiny of the Rangers transfer hierarchy. Chermiti possesses at least the physique to be an productive centre forward but appears unwilling or unable to utilize them fully.

Roma controlled first-half the ball from that point. They doubled their lead through Lorenzo Pellegrini, whose curling shot into the far post of Jack Butland’s net came after a pass from the Ukrainian forward. Rangers will lament the fact the midfielder stood in blissful isolation but it was a gorgeous strike. Ibrox, typically a raucous place on European nights, had been silenced nine minutes before the break. The discontent which greeted the interval were timid; Rangers were simply in the process of being outclassed.

The second period started against a unusual backdrop. Those Rangers fans directed their focus once again towards the club’s chief executive, the CEO, and sporting director, the director. Two banners, clearly menacing in tone, showed the duo with bullseyes on their images. It raises questions what the Rangers chairman makes of all this. After all, Andrew Cavenagh enjoyed an low-profile life as a successful businessman in the US before fronting a takeover of Rangers. Fans have not targeted Cavenagh yet but there is a rebellious mood around the club. It is one which is easy to understand; The team’s leadership is completely unconvincing.

Right on cue, Chermiti was sent through on goal on the hour mark and found only the outside of the goal. This actually triggered Rangers’ best period of the match, in which their substitute Thelo Aasgaard shot narrowly past the post. Yet, nonetheless, hard to determine Roma’s remaining attacking motivation until the full-back was presented with a chance all of a yard out which he somehow lifted and on to the bottom of the bar.

That was it as far as meaningful chances were concerned. The raft of substitutions from each side resulted in this game closed more in the style of a pre-season friendly than competitive match. That scenario benefited Roma perfectly. It prompted reflection to ponder how on earth Rangers, runners-up in this tournament in recently and worthy of the last eight a season ago, arrived at the stage of just participating.