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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” echoed through the ground as Nottingham Forest supporters celebrated another result against their Swedish opponents. Much has occurred since Trevor Francis’s decisive header secured the continental trophy in 1979, but the club continue to treasure those glorious moments. Similarly, major shifts have taken place in the five weeks since Sean Dyche assumed control, with Forest looking reinvigorated and securing a comfortable victory thanks to goals from Kalimuendo, Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, enhancing their hopes of advancing in the European competition.

Building Steam with Another Straight Victory

For Forest, this performance – against a Swedish side that had been inactive for nearly a month after finishing in sixth place in their home competition – represented a third straight triumph across every tournament and added to the momentum gained from the previous week's success at Anfield. While this match was a reminder of Forest’s historic success in spirit, the game itself was free of any real tension or nerves.

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

Forest leaned into the heritage, paying tribute to the heroes of 1979 by giving them, along with their Malmö opponents, the red-carpet treatment. 13 members of the Swedish club’s squad from then were additionally present. Both teams shared a dinner together before the match. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and company were given a rousing welcome when they assembled on the field 15 minutes before the start, and a characteristically superb tifo was shown in the Trent End.

Remembering the Past

“30th May 1979, Robertson delivered the ball from the left,” displayed one part of a large banner, in block capitals. While nobody required a reminder of what happened next, the rest was revealed as the squads emerged from the dressing rooms. “There is Francis,” it stated. Another stunning tifo showed Brian Clough watching events beside his right-hand man Taylor on a dugout at the Olympiastadion.

Dominance from the Start

So, Forest had soaked up those beautiful memories, but what about the performance on the evening? It was strong, too. They were in full command from the moment Kalimuendo whistled an attempt wide inside two minutes and built a two-goal lead 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 Yates, who came to Forest aged eight, made the first dent in the Malmö defence captained by their own homegrown skipper, Pontus Jansson, formerly of Leeds United and Brentford FC. The Forest defender Milenkovic saw a cross cannon off a defender and into the path of the midfielder, who swept home right-footed from the edge of the box to score his first goal since last March.

Another Strike Seals Control

The scorer was implicated in the team's next goal on the brink of the interval, too, his unmarked header saved by Malmö’s goalkeeper Ellborg but Kalimuendo on hand to convert the rebound from point-blank range. James McAtee, the midfielder given a rare start and only his second outing since September, was the catalyst, lofting a perfect ball towards his teammate at the far post.

A minute earlier, Hudson-Odoi’s low effort was turned aside off Malmö back Rösler, son of ex- Man City forward Uwe, and an free the defender had previously had a powerful header smartly saved by Ellborg, who returned in place of the former Villa goalkeeper Olsen.

Malmö’s Struggles

This was the Swedish side's first match since the Swedish Allsvenskan ended on 9 November, and they struggled to match Forest’s energy. The Reds made it 3-0 when Milenkovic applied the finishing touch after his defensive colleague Murillo headed back a corner. Yates had a volley stopped, but the Serbian defender Milenkovic feasted on the rebound.

The home side then went for the jugular, with the winger dinking a right-foot shot on to the crossbar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an optimistic effort off target from 30 yards. It was one of those nights. The manager, mindful of the upcoming domestic fixture here against Brighton & Hove Albion, made seven changes from the side that surprised the Reds at Anfield last weekend, when they additionally scored three goals, though he called on substitutes and Igor Jesus during the second half.

Smooth Night for Forest

It turned out to be a hiccup-free evening for Nottingham Forest. Dyche could withdraw the defender with the game long since sewn up and later introduced 19-year-old 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 demonstrated they are able of a few nuggets of excitement, as well.