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There was impressive effectiveness in the way Roma dealt with this trip to Glasgow. Minimum of fuss. The team from Rome did, however, meet favourable opposition when putting their European competition bid back on track. There was a glaring difference in class between the Serie A outfit and a the Scottish team side that has now lost a club record seven continental matches in a row.

To their credit, Rangers at least fought hard during a second half when surrender felt the probable option. However, the match was decided as a contest by then. Rangers remain rooted to the bottom of the tournament, which should represent an disgrace to a club of this standing. Roma have ambitions again on making proper impact. Their only regret in this match was in not delivering a result appropriately depicting the mismatch in quality.

Surprisingly, this represented only Roma’s second continental encounter with Scottish opposition since the historic Fairs Cup business with Hibs in the early 60s. Their last such match, against Dundee United 23 years later, became marred (to put it mildly) by the bribing of a referee. In those days, teams from Scotland could vie with the top sides in Europe. This season has seen the co-efficient plunge to a level that will soon have major consequences.

Danny Röhl’s main quality so far as the fanbase are see it is that he isn’t Russell Martin. The latter’s ghastly tenure as the head coach continued for 123 days in the early part of the campaign. The German coach, the recent appointment at the helm, has displayed potential albeit within a tiny sample size. The technical areas saw a clash of generations; Röhl is thirty-six, his opposite number the Roma manager is sixty-seven.

A further factor was much more noticeable as the sides lined up. The home team’s glaring short stature against the Italians looked worrying. This point was proven within 13 minutes as Bryan Cristante comfortably redirected a set-piece at the near post. Following up, Matías Soulé burst forward to fire his team in front. A Roma team without the unavailable Evan Ferguson and their star attacker, who have been criticised for lack of cutting edge even with reasonable results 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 mix-up in the Roma defence. The player’s £8m purchase from Everton has piled pressure on the club’s recruitment team. Chermiti possesses at least the physique to be an productive striker but appears unwilling or unable to use them.

Roma dominated opening period the ball from that point. They doubled their lead through their captain, whose bent effort into the far post of Jack Butland’s net came after a lay off from Artem Dovbyk. Rangers will lament the fact the midfielder was left in blissful isolation but it was a superb finish. The stadium, typically a boisterous place on European nights, had been silenced with time still remaining before the break. Even the boos which met the half-time whistle were timid; the home team were simply in the midst of being outclassed.

The second period began against a curious backdrop. Supporters directed their focus once again towards the club’s chief executive, Patrick Stewart, and transfer chief, Kevin Thelwell. A pair of displays, obviously sinister in message, showed the pair with targets on their images. One wonders what the Rangers chairman makes of all this. After all, Andrew Cavenagh enjoyed an anonymous career as a successful businessman in the US before fronting a acquisition of this club. Paying punters have not turned on Cavenagh yet but there is a rebellious mood in the air. This is easy to understand; The team’s leadership is wholly unimpressive.

Right on cue, the striker was played in on goal on the 60-minute mark and hit the side netting. This actually triggered the home side’s finest spell of the match, in which their substitute the young midfielder fired just wide. Yet, nonetheless, difficult to gauge the visitors’ remaining attacking motivation until Zeki Celik was given a opportunity from close range which he inexplicably lifted and on to the underside of the bar.

That opportunity as far as clear-cut opportunity were concerned. The series of changes from each side resulted in this game ended more in the style of a summer exhibition than serious contest. This of course suited the Italians perfectly. It prompted reflection to consider how on earth Rangers, finalists in this competition in 2022 and worthy of the quarter-finals a last year, reached the stage of just participating.