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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” was chanted around the City Ground as Nottingham Forest supporters celebrated another result against their Swedish opponents. A great deal has happened since Trevor Francis’s winning header secured the European Cup back in 1979, but the club continue to treasure those memories. Similarly, significant shifts have occurred in the weeks since the manager took charge, with the team appearing refreshed and securing a convincing victory thanks to goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, boosting their prospects of progressing in the European competition.

Gaining Steam with Another Consecutive Win

For Forest, this performance – against a Malmö side that had not played for almost three weeks after finishing in sixth place in their home competition – represented a third consecutive win across every tournament and further built on the positive energy gained from the previous week's stunning victory at Liverpool. While this fixture was a reminder of the club's historic success in spirit, the encounter itself was devoid of any significant tension or nerves.

This was an occasion filled with nostalgia, an longed-for reunion and the third meeting between the sides since the showpiece event over four decades past.

The home side leaned into the heritage, honoring the heroes of 1979 by providing them, along with their visiting opponents, the VIP welcome. Thirteen members of the Swedish club’s squad from that time were additionally in attendance. Both teams enjoyed a meal together before the kick-off. Forest legends and their teammates were given a rousing welcome when they gathered on the field a quarter of an hour before the start, and a characteristically superb display was shown in the Trent End.

Recalling History

“May 30, 1979, Robertson delivered the ball from the left,” read half of a giant tifo, in block capitals. While nobody required a reminder of what ensued, the remaining section was revealed as the players came out from the tunnel. “There is Francis,” it continued. Another brilliant display depicted Brian Clough watching proceedings beside his right-hand man Taylor on a dugout at the Olympiastadion.

Control from the Start

So, the hosts had soaked up those wonderful recollections, but what about the showing on the night? It was pretty good, as well. They were in complete control from the moment Kalimuendo fired an effort wide inside the opening moments and established a two-goal advantage by the break. Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Abbott, on his first European start, tried his luck.

It seemed appropriate that Ryan Yates, who joined Forest as an eight-year-old, made the first dent in the visitors' defense captained by their own academy product captain, Pontus Jansson, previously of Leeds United and Brentford. The Forest centre-back Nikola Milenkovic saw a cross deflect off a opponent and into the pathway of Yates, who swept home with his right foot from just inside the box to score his first goal since last March.

Second Goal Confirms Control

Yates was involved in Forest’s second goal on the brink of half-time, too, his unmarked header parried by the goalkeeper Ellborg but the alert forward on hand to tap in the rebound from close range. McAtee, the midfielder given a rare start and only his second appearance since the autumn, was the spark, lofting a delicious ball towards Yates at the back post.

A minute earlier, Hudson-Odoi’s low effort was turned aside off the back Colin Rösler, the son of former Man City striker Uwe, and an free the defender had earlier had a strong header smartly repelled by the keeper, who was back in place of the former Aston Villa goalie Olsen.

Malmö’s Difficulties

This was the Swedish side's first match since the Swedish Allsvenskan concluded on 9 November, and they found it hard to equal Forest’s energy. Forest made it 3-0 when Milenkovic applied the finishing touch after his defensive colleague Murillo headed back a set-piece. The captain had a shot blocked, but the Serbia defender Milenkovic feasted on the leftovers.

The home side then pushed for more, with Hudson-Odoi dinking a effort on to the crossbar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an ambitious shot wide from 30 yards. It was one of those evenings. The manager, aware of Sunday’s league game here against Brighton, made multiple alterations from the side that stunned Liverpool at their ground last weekend, when they also scored three times, though he introduced substitutes and Igor Jesus midway through the final period.

Smooth Night for Forest

It turned out to be a flawless night for Nottingham Forest. The coach could withdraw Murillo with the game long since boxed off and later brought on teenage defender Jimmy Sinclair for his senior bow. Dyche talked about the Forest old guard supplying “bits of gold” at weekly get-togethers and, nearly fifty years on, the current crop demonstrated they are capable of producing of excitement, as well.