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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” echoed around the City Ground as Forest fans reveled in a further win against their Swedish opponents. A great deal has transpired since Francis's decisive header clinched the European Cup in 1979, but the club still hold dear those memories. Equally, significant shifts have occurred in the five weeks since the manager took charge, with Forest looking refreshed and earning a convincing victory courtesy of goals from Kalimuendo, Yates, and Milenkovic, boosting their hopes of progressing in the European competition.

Building Momentum with Another Straight Win

For Nottingham Forest, this performance – against a Swedish side that had been inactive for almost three weeks after finishing in sixth place in their domestic league – represented a third straight triumph across every tournament and added to the momentum gained from last weekend’s stunning victory at Anfield. While this match was a re-run of the club's European Cup triumph in name, the game itself was free of any significant tension or nerves.

This was an event filled with nostalgia, an eagerly awaited reunion and the third competitive meeting between the teams since the showpiece event 46 years ago.

Forest leaned into the history, honoring the legends of that era by providing them, along with their visiting opponents, the red-carpet treatment. Thirteen members of the Malmö's squad from then were also present. Both teams enjoyed a meal together prior to the match. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and company were given a rousing welcome when they gathered on the field a quarter of an hour before the start, and a characteristically impressive tifo was shown in the home stand.

Recalling History

“30th May 1979, John Robertson delivered the ball from the left flank,” displayed half of a giant banner, in block capitals. While nobody required a reminder of what happened next, the remaining section was revealed as the squads came out from the tunnel. “And there’s Francis,” it stated. Another brilliant display depicted Clough watching events beside his right-hand man Taylor on a bench at the Munich stadium.

Dominance from the Start

So, the hosts had drunk in those beautiful memories, but what about the showing on the night? It was strong, too. They were in full command from the moment the forward whistled an effort wide inside two minutes and built a 2-0 lead by the half-time interval. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Zach Abbott, on his first European start, tried his luck.

It felt fitting that Yates, who came to the club aged eight, made the initial breakthrough in the Malmö defense led by their own academy product skipper, Pontus Jansson, formerly of Leeds and Brentford FC. The home centre-back Nikola Milenkovic saw a delivery cannon off a defender and into the path of the midfielder, who finished with his right foot from just inside the penalty area to register his maiden strike since March.

Another Goal Seals Control

Yates was involved in Forest’s second goal on the verge of the interval, as well, his free header saved by the shot-stopper Ellborg but Kalimuendo on hand to tap in the loose ball from close range. James McAtee, the playmaker handed a rare start and just his second outing since the autumn, was the catalyst, lofting a delicious ball towards his teammate at the back post.

A minute earlier, Hudson-Odoi’s low effort was deflected wide off Malmö defender Rösler, the son of former Manchester City striker Uwe Rösler, and an free the defender had previously had a powerful header smartly repelled by the keeper, who was back in place of the former Villa goalie Robin Olsen.

Malmö’s Struggles

This was Malmö’s first match since the domestic league concluded on 9 November, and they struggled to match Forest’s intensity. The Reds extended the lead to three when Milenkovic applied the finishing touch after his centre-back partner Murillo headed back a set-piece. Yates had a volley blocked, but the Serbian centre-back Milenkovic pounced on the rebound.

Forest then pushed for more, with the winger chipping a effort on to the bar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an optimistic effort off target from distance. It was that kind of evenings. Dyche, mindful of the upcoming league game here against Brighton, made multiple alterations from the side that surprised the Reds at their ground last weekend, when they also netted three times, though he called on substitutes and further fresh legs midway through the final period.

Hiccup-Free Evening for Forest

It turned out to be a hiccup-free evening for Nottingham Forest. The coach could take off the defender with the match already sewn up and later introduced 19-year-old defender Jimmy Sinclair for his senior bow. Dyche discussed the Forest old guard supplying “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, nearly fifty years on, the current crop showed they are able of a few nuggets of excitement, too.