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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” echoed around the ground as Forest fans reveled in a further win against their Swedish opponents. A great deal has happened since Trevor Francis’s winning header clinched the European Cup back in 1979, but Forest still hold dear those glorious moments. Equally, major shifts have taken place in the five weeks since Sean Dyche took charge, with the team appearing refreshed and securing a comfortable win courtesy of goals from Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Milenkovic, enhancing their hopes of progressing in the Europa League.

Building Steam with Third Consecutive Victory

For Nottingham Forest, this performance – against a Malmö side that had been inactive for almost three weeks after finishing sixth in their domestic league – represented a third straight win across every tournament and added to the momentum gained from last weekend’s stunning victory at Anfield. While this match was a re-run of Forest’s European Cup success in name, the game itself was devoid of any real jeopardy or jitters.

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

The home side leaned into the history, honoring the heroes of that era by providing them, along with their visiting opponents, the red-carpet treatment. Thirteen members of the Swedish club’s team from that time were also present. The two clubs shared a meal together before the kick-off. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and their teammates were given a rousing welcome when they assembled on the pitch a quarter of an hour before kick-off, and a characteristically superb display was unveiled in the home stand.

Remembering the Past

“May 30, 1979, John Robertson crossed it in from the left flank,” displayed one part of a large banner, in capital letters. While no one required a reminder of what ensued, the remaining section was revealed as the players emerged from the dressing rooms. “And there’s Francis,” it stated. Another brilliant tifo showed Clough observing proceedings beside his assistant Taylor on a bench at the Munich stadium.

Dominance from the Outset

So, Forest had drunk in those beautiful recollections, but what about the showing on the night? It was impressive, too. They were in complete control from the moment Kalimuendo fired an attempt wide inside two minutes and established a two-goal advantage by the break. Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Zach Abbott, on his maiden European start, tried his luck.

It felt fitting that Ryan Yates, who joined Forest aged eight, made the first dent in the visitors' defense captained by their own homegrown captain, Pontus Jansson, formerly of Leeds United and Brentford FC. The home defender Milenkovic saw a delivery deflect off a defender and into the pathway of Yates, who finished with his right foot from the edge of the box to score his first goal since last March.

Second Strike Seals Dominance

The scorer was involved in the team's next goal on the brink of the interval, too, his free header parried by the goalkeeper Ellborg but the alert forward on hand to convert the loose ball from close range. James McAtee, the playmaker given a seldom start and just his second outing since the autumn, was the spark, lofting a perfect ball towards Yates at the back post.

Just moments before, Hudson-Odoi’s driven shot was turned aside off Malmö back Colin Rösler, son of former Manchester City striker Uwe Rösler, and an free the defender also earlier had a strong header instinctively saved by the keeper, who was back in place of the former Villa goalkeeper Olsen.

Opponent's Struggles

This was the Swedish side's first match since the Swedish Allsvenskan concluded on November 9th, and they struggled to match the home team's energy. Forest made it 3-0 when the defender scored after his centre-back partner Murillo kept alive a corner. The captain had a volley stopped, but the Serbia defender Milenkovic pounced on the leftovers.

The home side then pushed for more, with Hudson-Odoi chipping a right-foot shot on to the bar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an optimistic shot wide from distance. It was that kind of evenings. Dyche, mindful of the upcoming league game here against Brighton, made multiple alterations from the team that stunned the Reds at their ground last weekend, when they additionally netted three times, though he introduced Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and further fresh legs midway through the second half.

Smooth Night for Forest

It turned out to be a hiccup-free evening for Nottingham Forest. The coach could take off Murillo with the game long since sewn up and subsequently brought on teenage full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his first-team debut. Dyche talked about the Forest old guard providing “bits of gold” at regular meetings and, almost five decades on, the current crop demonstrated they are capable of a few nuggets of excitement, as well.