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Roma displayed admirable efficiency in the way Roma dealt with this trip to Glasgow. Minimum of fuss. The team from Italy’s capital did, nonetheless, meet favourable opposition when putting their European competition bid back on track. There was a obvious difference in class between Roma and a the Scottish team side that has now suffered defeat in a team record seven continental matches consecutively.

To their credit, the home side at least huffed and puffed during a second half when capitulation felt the probable outcome. However, the match was settled as a contest by then. The Scottish club remain anchored at the bottom of the Europa League, which should constitute an embarrassment to a team of this standing. The Giallorossi have ambitions once more on making proper impact. One slight disappointment here was in not delivering a result that truly reflected men against boys.

Surprisingly, this marked only the Roman club’s second European joust with a team from Scotland since the historic Fairs Cup fixtures with Hibernian in 1961. The previous one, against Dundee United 23 years later, became overshadowed (to put it mildly) by the bribing of a match official. Back then, teams from Scotland could vie with the best in the continent. The current campaign has seen the UEFA coefficient plunge to a point that will soon have huge ramifications.

The new manager’s key attribute so far as the Rangers support are concerned is that he isn’t his predecessor. The latter’s ghastly spell as the manager lasted 123 days in the early part of the campaign. The German coach, the recent appointment at the helm, has shown promise albeit within a limited timeframe. The technical areas saw a generation game; Röhl is thirty-six, his counterpart the Roma manager is sixty-seven.

A further factor was far more striking as the sides took the field. The home team’s obvious short stature against the Italians looked worrying. This point was proven within 13 minutes as Bryan Cristante easily redirected a corner at the front post. At the back, Matías Soulé burst forward to fire Roma ahead. A Roma team without the unavailable their young striker and Paulo Dybala, who have been criticised for lack of cutting edge despite reasonable results in the tournament, were delighted with their quick lead.

Rangers could have equalised instantly. Instead, Youssef Chermiti screwed his shot wide after a defensive error in the Roma defence. The player’s eight-million-pound signing from the Toffees has increased scrutiny of the Rangers transfer hierarchy. He has at least the physical attributes to be an productive striker but seems unwilling or unable to use them.

The Italian outfit controlled first-half possession thereafter. They doubled their lead through their captain, whose bent effort into the bottom corner of the goalkeeper’s net arrived after a pass from the Ukrainian forward. Rangers will bemoan the fact the midfielder stood in complete freedom but it was a superb finish. Ibrox, usually a boisterous place on European nights, had been silenced nine minutes before the break. Even the boos which greeted the interval were subdued; Rangers were clearly in the process of being outclassed.

The second period started against a unusual backdrop. Those Rangers fans turned their attentions for the latest time towards the club’s chief executive, the CEO, and transfer chief, Kevin Thelwell. A pair of displays, clearly sinister in message, showed the pair with bullseyes on their images. It raises questions what the club owner thinks about the situation. After all, the chairman had an anonymous life as a wealthy entrepreneur in the US before fronting a acquisition of Rangers. Paying punters have not turned on the owner yet but there is a rebellious feeling in the air. It is one which is unsurprising; Rangers’ management is completely unimpressive.

Right on cue, Chermiti was sent through on goal on the hour mark and hit the side netting. This actually triggered Rangers’ best period of the match, in which their replacement the young midfielder shot narrowly past the post. Yet, however, difficult to gauge the visitors’ continued attacking motivation until Zeki Celik was presented with a chance from close range which he inexplicably lifted and onto the underside of the crossbar.

That opportunity as far as meaningful opportunity were involved. The series of substitutions from each side resulted in this fixture ended more in the fashion of a pre-season friendly than serious contest. That scenario benefited Roma fine. It prompted reflection to consider how on earth Rangers, finalists in this tournament in 2022 and strong enough of the last eight a last year, arrived at the stage of just participating.