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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” was chanted around the ground as Forest fans reveled in another win against Malmö. A great deal has happened since Trevor Francis’s decisive header clinched the European Cup back in the year 1979, but the club continue to hold dear those glorious moments. Equally, major shifts have occurred in the five weeks since the manager assumed control, with the team looking refreshed and earning a comfortable victory thanks to goals from Kalimuendo, Yates, and Milenkovic, enhancing their prospects of advancing in the European competition.

Gaining Momentum with Another Consecutive Win

For Nottingham Forest, this result – against a Malmö side that had been inactive for almost three weeks after ending in sixth place in their home competition – represented a third consecutive triumph across all competitions and further built on the momentum gained from the previous week's stunning victory at Liverpool. While this fixture was a reminder of the club's historic success in name, the game itself was free of any significant tension or jitters.

This was an event dripping in nostalgia, an eagerly awaited reunion and the third competitive meeting between the sides since the showpiece event 46 years ago.

The home side fully embraced the heritage, paying tribute to the heroes of 1979 by giving them, along with their Malmö counterparts, the VIP welcome. Thirteen members of the Swedish club’s team from that time were also present. Both teams enjoyed a dinner together before the kick-off. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and company received a rousing reception when they gathered on the pitch 15 minutes before the start, and a characteristically superb display was shown in the home stand.

Recalling History

“30th May 1979, Robertson delivered the ball from the left,” displayed half of a giant tifo, in capital letters. While no one required a reminder of what happened next, the remaining section was unfurled as the players emerged from the dressing rooms. “And there’s Francis,” it stated. A second stunning tifo showed Clough observing events beside his right-hand man Taylor on a bench at the Olympiastadion.

Control from the Start

So, the hosts had drunk in those beautiful recollections, but what about the showing on the evening? It was impressive, as well. They were in complete control from the moment Kalimuendo fired an effort wide inside two minutes and established a 2-0 advantage by the half-time interval. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Abbott, on his first European start, had a go.

It seemed appropriate that Yates, who joined Forest aged eight, made the first dent in the visitors' defense led by their own homegrown captain, Jansson, formerly of Leeds United and Brentford FC. The Forest defender Nikola Milenkovic saw a delivery cannon off a defender and into the pathway of the midfielder, who swept home right-footed from just inside the box to score his first goal since March.

Second Goal Confirms Control

The scorer was implicated in Forest’s second goal on the brink of half-time, as well, his free header parried by the shot-stopper Melker Ellborg but Kalimuendo on hand to convert the loose ball from point-blank range. James McAtee, the playmaker handed a rare start and only his second outing since the autumn, was the catalyst, lofting a perfect ball towards Yates at the back post.

A minute earlier, Callum Hudson-Odoi low effort was turned wide off Malmö back Rösler, son of ex- Manchester City striker Uwe Rösler, and an unmarked the defender had previously had a strong header instinctively saved by the keeper, who was back in place of the ex- Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen.

Malmö’s Difficulties

This was the Swedish side's initial game since the Swedish Allsvenskan ended on November 9th, and they found it hard to match the home team's intensity. Forest extended the lead to three when Milenkovic scored after his centre-back partner Murillo kept alive a corner. The captain had a shot stopped, but the Serbian defender Milenkovic feasted on the rebound.

Forest then went for the jugular, with the winger chipping a right-foot shot on to the crossbar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an ambitious shot wide from 30 yards. It was one of those evenings. Dyche, aware of the upcoming domestic fixture here against Brighton, made seven changes from the team that stunned Liverpool at Anfield recently, when they additionally netted three goals, though he introduced Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and Igor Jesus during the second half.

Smooth Evening for Forest

It turned out to be a flawless evening for Forest. Dyche could take off Murillo with the game already boxed off and later brought on teenage full-back Sinclair for his first-team debut. Dyche discussed the club legends supplying “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, nearly fifty years on, the current crop showed they are capable of a few nuggets of thrills, too.