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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” was chanted around the stadium as Forest supporters celebrated a further success against Malmö. Much has transpired since Trevor Francis’s winning header clinched the European Cup in the year 1979, but Forest still hold dear those memories. Similarly, major changes have taken place in the five weeks since Sean Dyche took charge, with Forest appearing reinvigorated and securing a convincing win thanks to goals from Kalimuendo, Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, boosting their hopes of progressing in the Europa League.

Building Steam with Third Straight Win

For Forest, this result – against a Swedish side that had been inactive for almost three weeks after finishing sixth in their home competition – represented a third consecutive triumph across all competitions and further built on the momentum generated from the previous week's success at Anfield. While this match was a reminder of Forest’s historic success in spirit, the game itself was devoid of any significant tension or jitters.

It proved to be an occasion dripping in sentiment, an eagerly awaited reunion and the third clash between the sides since the showpiece event 46 years ago.

The home side leaned into the history, paying tribute to the legends of that era by giving them, along with their Malmö opponents, the VIP welcome. 13 members of the Swedish club’s squad from then were additionally in attendance. Both teams shared a meal together before the match. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and their teammates were given a tumultuous reception when they assembled on the pitch 15 minutes before the start, and a characteristically impressive display was shown in the Trent End.

Remembering the Past

“May 30, 1979, Robertson delivered the ball from the left flank,” read half of a large banner, in capital letters. While nobody needed reminding of what ensued, the rest was revealed as the players emerged from the dressing rooms. “And there’s Francis,” it continued. A second stunning display depicted Brian Clough watching proceedings beside his assistant Peter Taylor on a bench at the Munich stadium.

Dominance from the Start

So, Forest had drunk in those wonderful memories, but what about the showing on the evening? It was impressive, too. They were in complete control from the moment the forward whistled an attempt wide inside two minutes and built a 2-0 advantage by the half-time interval. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Abbott, on his maiden European start, tried his luck.

It seemed appropriate that Ryan Yates, who joined Forest aged eight, made the first dent in the visitors' defence led by their own academy product skipper, Jansson, formerly of Leeds and Brentford FC. The home centre-back Milenkovic saw a delivery deflect off a defender and into the path of the midfielder, who finished right-footed from just inside the penalty area to register his maiden strike since March.

Another Strike Seals Dominance

Yates was implicated in Forest’s next goal on the brink of half-time, too, his unmarked header saved by Malmö’s shot-stopper Ellborg but Kalimuendo poised to tap in the loose ball from point-blank range. McAtee, the playmaker handed a seldom start and only his second outing since the autumn, was the spark, chipping a delicious ball towards Yates at the back post.

Just moments before, Callum Hudson-Odoi low effort was turned wide off the back Colin Rösler, the son of ex- Man City forward Uwe, and an unmarked the defender also previously had a strong header instinctively repelled by Ellborg, who was back in place of the former Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen.

Opponent's Difficulties

This was the Swedish side's first match since the domestic league concluded on 9 November, and they found it hard to equal the home team's intensity. The Reds extended the lead to three when the defender scored after his defensive colleague Murillo headed back a corner. The captain had a volley blocked, but the Serbian centre-back Milenkovic feasted on the rebound.

The home side then went for the jugular, with Hudson-Odoi chipping a right-foot shot on to the bar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an ambitious shot wide from 30 yards. It was one of those nights. Dyche, aware of the upcoming league game here against Brighton, made multiple alterations from the team that surprised the Reds at Anfield last weekend, when they also netted three times, though he introduced substitutes and Igor Jesus during the second half.

Smooth Evening for the Team

It proved a hiccup-free night for Nottingham Forest. The coach could take off Murillo with the match already boxed off and subsequently introduced teenage full-back Sinclair for his first-team debut. Dyche discussed the Forest old guard providing “bits of gold” at weekly get-togethers and, nearly fifty years on, the present squad showed they are capable of a few nuggets of thrills, too.