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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” echoed through the ground as Nottingham Forest followers celebrated another success against their Swedish opponents. Much has happened since Francis's decisive header secured the European Cup in the year 1979, but the club continue to hold dear those memories. Similarly, significant changes have taken place in the five weeks since the manager assumed control, with the team appearing reinvigorated and earning a comfortable victory thanks to goals from Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, enhancing their prospects of advancing in the European competition.

Building Momentum with Another Straight Victory

For Nottingham Forest, this performance – against a Swedish side that had not played for nearly a month after finishing in sixth place in their home competition – marked a third straight win across every tournament and further built on the momentum gained from the previous week's success at Anfield. While this fixture was a re-run of Forest’s historic success in spirit, the game itself was free of any real jeopardy or nerves.

It proved to be an event filled with nostalgia, an eagerly awaited meeting and the third meeting between the teams since the showpiece event 46 years ago.

The home side leaned into the history, paying tribute to the heroes of that era by giving them, along with their Malmö opponents, the red-carpet treatment. 13 members of the Swedish club’s squad from then were also in attendance. Both teams shared a dinner together before the match. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and their teammates were given a tumultuous reception when they assembled on the field 15 minutes before the start, and a characteristically superb tifo was shown in the Trent End.

Remembering History

“May 30, 1979, John Robertson delivered the ball from the left flank,” read half of a large tifo, in block capitals. While nobody needed reminding of what happened next, the rest was unfurled as the players emerged from the tunnel. “And there’s Francis,” it continued. Another stunning display depicted Brian Clough watching events beside his right-hand man Peter Taylor on a bench at the Munich stadium.

Control from the Start

So, Forest had drunk in those beautiful memories, but what about the showing on the night? It was impressive, as well. They were in full command from the moment the forward fired an effort off target inside the opening moments and established a two-goal lead by the break. Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Abbott, on his maiden European start, tried his luck.

It seemed appropriate that Yates, who came to the club as an eight-year-old, made the initial breakthrough in the visitors' defence led by their own homegrown skipper, Jansson, previously of Leeds United and Brentford. The Forest defender Milenkovic saw a delivery deflect off a defender and into the pathway of Yates, who swept home with his right foot from the edge of the box to score his maiden strike since March.

Another Strike Confirms Dominance

Yates was involved in Forest’s next goal on the brink of half-time, too, his free header saved by Malmö’s shot-stopper Melker Ellborg but the alert forward on hand to convert the rebound from close range. McAtee, the playmaker handed a seldom start and just his second outing since the autumn, was the catalyst, chipping a perfect ball towards his teammate at the far post.

Just moments before, Callum Hudson-Odoi low effort was turned wide off Malmö back Colin Rösler, son of former Manchester City striker Uwe Rösler, and an free Milenkovic also previously had a strong header smartly repelled by the keeper, who was back in place of the former Villa goalie Robin Olsen.

Opponent's Struggles

This was Malmö’s first match since the Swedish Allsvenskan ended on 9 November, and they found it hard to match the home team's intensity. Forest made it 3-0 when Milenkovic applied the finishing touch after his centre-back partner Murillo headed back a set-piece. The captain had a shot blocked, but the Serbian centre-back Milenkovic pounced on the leftovers.

The home side then went for the jugular, with the winger dinking a right-foot shot on to the bar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an ambitious shot wide from 30 yards. It was that kind of nights. The manager, mindful of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton & Hove Albion, made seven changes from the team that stunned Liverpool at their ground last weekend, when they additionally scored three times, though he introduced Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and Igor Jesus during the second half.

Hiccup-Free Evening for Forest

It turned out to be a flawless night for Forest. Dyche could take off the defender with the match already boxed off and later introduced teenage defender Sinclair for his first-team debut. Dyche discussed the Forest old guard providing “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, almost five decades on, the present squad showed they are capable of a few nuggets of excitement, too.