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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” rang out through the ground as Nottingham Forest followers reveled in a further success against Malmö. A great deal has happened since Francis's winning header secured the European Cup back in 1979, but Forest still treasure those glorious moments. Similarly, major shifts have occurred in the five weeks since the manager took charge, with Forest appearing refreshed and earning a comfortable victory thanks to goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, enhancing their prospects of advancing in the European competition.

Building Steam with Third Straight Victory

For Forest, this result – against a Malmö side that had not played for almost three weeks after ending sixth in their home competition – represented a third straight win across every tournament and further built on the momentum gained from the previous week's success at Liverpool. While this match was a re-run of the club's European Cup success in spirit, the encounter itself was free of any significant tension or nerves.

This was an occasion dripping in sentiment, an longed-for reunion and the third competitive clash between the sides since the showpiece event over four decades past.

The home side leaned into the heritage, paying tribute to the heroes of 1979 by giving them, along with their visiting counterparts, the red-carpet treatment. 13 members of the Swedish club’s team from that time were also present. Both teams shared a meal together prior to the kick-off. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and company received a tumultuous welcome when they gathered on the field 15 minutes before the start, and a characteristically impressive tifo was unveiled in the Trent End.

Recalling History

“30th May 1979, John Robertson crossed it in from the left flank,” read half of a large banner, in block capitals. While nobody required a reminder of what happened next, the rest was unfurled as the players came out from the tunnel. “There is Francis,” it stated. A second brilliant tifo showed Brian Clough watching events beside his right-hand man Peter Taylor on a bench at the Munich stadium.

Control from the Start

So, the hosts had drunk in those wonderful memories, but what about the performance on the evening? It was strong, too. They were in complete control from the moment the forward whistled an effort wide inside the opening moments and built a two-goal advantage by the break. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Abbott, on his first European start, had a go.

It seemed appropriate that Ryan Yates, who joined the club aged eight, made the first dent in the Malmö defence led by their own homegrown skipper, Pontus Jansson, previously of Leeds United and Brentford. The home defender Nikola Milenkovic saw a cross cannon off a opponent and into the path of the midfielder, who finished right-footed from the edge of the penalty area to score his first goal since last March.

Another Goal Seals Dominance

The scorer was involved in Forest’s next goal on the verge of half-time, as well, his unmarked header saved by Malmö’s shot-stopper Ellborg but the alert forward on hand to convert the rebound from point-blank range. James McAtee, the midfielder given a seldom start and only his second outing since the autumn, was the catalyst, chipping a perfect ball towards Yates at the back post.

Just moments before, Hudson-Odoi’s low effort was deflected wide off the back Rösler, the son of ex- Manchester City striker Uwe, and an free the defender also previously had a strong header instinctively repelled by the keeper, who was back in place of the former Villa goalkeeper Olsen.

Malmö’s Struggles

This was Malmö’s first match since the domestic league ended on 9 November, and they struggled to match Forest’s intensity. Forest extended the lead to three when the defender scored after his defensive colleague Murillo kept alive a corner. Yates had a shot stopped, but the Serbian defender Milenkovic pounced on the leftovers.

Forest then pushed for more, with the winger dinking a effort on to the crossbar before Sangaré sent an ambitious shot off target from 30 yards. It was one of those nights. The manager, aware of the upcoming domestic fixture here against Brighton & Hove Albion, made seven changes from the side that stunned Liverpool at Anfield last weekend, when they additionally scored three times, though he introduced Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and further fresh legs during the second half.

Smooth Night for Forest

It proved a hiccup-free evening for Nottingham Forest. Dyche could take off Murillo with the match already sewn up and subsequently introduced teenage defender Jimmy Sinclair for his first-team debut. Dyche talked about the Forest old guard supplying “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, almost five decades on, the present squad demonstrated they are capable of a few nuggets of excitement, as well.