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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” echoed around the ground as Forest supporters celebrated a further success against their Swedish opponents. Much has happened since Francis's winning header clinched the continental trophy in 1979, but the club still cherish those glorious moments. Equally, significant shifts have occurred in the weeks since Sean Dyche assumed control, with the team looking reinvigorated and securing a comfortable win courtesy of goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Milenkovic, enhancing their prospects of advancing in the European competition.

Building Momentum with Another Consecutive Victory

For Nottingham Forest, this result – against a Malmö side that had not played for almost three weeks after finishing sixth in their home competition – marked a third consecutive triumph across all competitions and further built on the momentum gained from the previous week's success at Liverpool. While this match was a reminder of Forest’s historic triumph in spirit, the game itself was free of any significant jeopardy or jitters.

This was an occasion dripping in nostalgia, an eagerly awaited meeting and the third clash between the sides since the European Cup final 46 years ago.

Forest fully embraced the history, honoring the legends of that era by giving 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 shared a dinner together before the match. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and company were given a tumultuous reception when they gathered on the pitch a quarter of an hour before kick-off, and a typically superb tifo was shown in the Trent End.

Remembering History

“May 30, 1979, Robertson crossed it in from the left flank,” displayed half of a giant banner, in capital letters. While no one needed reminding of what happened next, the remaining section was unfurled as the squads emerged from the dressing rooms. “There is Francis,” it continued. A second stunning display showed Clough observing events beside his assistant Peter Taylor on a bench at the Munich stadium.

Control from the Start

So, the hosts had soaked up those wonderful recollections, but what about the performance on the night? It was impressive, too. They were in complete control from the moment the forward fired an attempt wide inside two minutes and built a 2-0 lead by the break. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Abbott, on his first European start, had a go.

It felt fitting that Yates, who joined Forest as an eight-year-old, made the initial breakthrough in the visitors' defense captained by their own academy product skipper, Pontus Jansson, previously of Leeds and Brentford. The home centre-back Nikola Milenkovic saw a cross cannon off a defender and into the path of the midfielder, who finished with his right foot from just inside the box to score his first goal since March.

Second Goal Seals Control

The scorer was involved in Forest’s second goal on the verge of the interval, as well, his unmarked header saved by the shot-stopper Melker Ellborg but Kalimuendo on hand to tap in the loose ball from close range. James McAtee, the midfielder handed a rare start and just his second appearance since September, was the spark, chipping a delicious ball towards his teammate at the back post.

Just moments before, Callum Hudson-Odoi driven shot was deflected wide off the defender Colin Rösler, son of former Manchester City forward Uwe, and an unmarked the defender had earlier had a powerful header smartly saved by the keeper, who was back in place of the ex- Aston Villa goalkeeper Olsen.

Malmö’s Struggles

This was Malmö’s first match since the domestic league concluded on 9 November, and they struggled to equal the home team's intensity. Forest extended the lead to three when the defender applied the finishing touch after his defensive colleague Murillo kept alive a set-piece. The captain had a volley blocked, but the Serbian centre-back Milenkovic feasted on the leftovers.

The home side then went for the jugular, with the winger dinking a right-foot shot on to the crossbar before Sangaré sent an ambitious effort off target from distance. It was one of those nights. Dyche, mindful of Sunday’s league game here against Brighton, implemented multiple alterations from the team that surprised Liverpool at their ground last weekend, when they also scored three goals, though he called on Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and further fresh legs midway through the second half.

Smooth Night for Forest

It turned out to be a flawless evening for Forest. Dyche could take off Murillo with the match long since boxed off and subsequently brought on teenage full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his senior bow. Dyche discussed the Forest old guard providing “bits of gold” at regular meetings and, almost five decades on, the current crop demonstrated they are capable of producing of excitement, too.