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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” rang out around the stadium as Nottingham Forest supporters reveled in a further success against Malmö. A great deal has transpired since Trevor Francis’s winning header clinched the European Cup back in 1979, but Forest still hold dear those memories. Similarly, significant shifts have occurred in the weeks since the manager took charge, with the team looking refreshed and securing a comfortable victory courtesy of goals from Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, enhancing their prospects of advancing in the Europa League.

Building Steam with Third Straight Victory

For Nottingham Forest, this result – against a Malmö side that had been inactive for nearly a month after finishing sixth in their domestic league – marked a third straight win across every tournament and added to the momentum generated from last weekend’s success at Anfield. While this match was a re-run of the club's historic triumph in name, the game itself was devoid of any significant tension or nerves.

This was an event filled with nostalgia, an longed-for reunion and the third competitive clash between the teams since the European Cup final 46 years ago.

The home side leaned into the history, paying tribute to the legends of that era by providing them, along with their Malmö opponents, the VIP welcome. 13 members of the Swedish club’s squad from that time were also in attendance. The two clubs shared a dinner together prior to the kick-off. Forest legends and company received a rousing reception when they gathered on the pitch a quarter of an hour before kick-off, and a typically impressive tifo was shown in the Trent End.

Remembering History

“30th May 1979, John Robertson delivered the ball from the left,” displayed one part of a giant tifo, in block capitals. While nobody needed reminding of what happened next, the rest was revealed as the squads came out from the dressing rooms. “There is Francis,” it stated. Another brilliant tifo showed Clough observing proceedings beside his right-hand man Taylor on a dugout at the Munich stadium.

Control from the Start

So, the hosts had drunk in those beautiful recollections, but what about the performance on the night? It was strong, too. They were in full command from the moment Kalimuendo fired an effort wide inside two minutes and established a two-goal lead by the break. Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Zach Abbott, on his first European start, had a go.

It seemed appropriate that Ryan Yates, who came to Forest aged eight, made the initial breakthrough in the visitors' defence captained by their own academy product captain, Jansson, formerly of Leeds and Brentford FC. The home centre-back Nikola Milenkovic saw a delivery cannon off a opponent and into the path of Yates, who swept home right-footed from the edge of the penalty area to register his maiden strike since last March.

Second Goal Confirms Dominance

Yates was involved in the team's next goal on the verge of half-time, as well, his unmarked header saved by Malmö’s goalkeeper Melker Ellborg but the alert forward on hand to tap in the rebound from point-blank range. McAtee, the playmaker given a rare start and just his second outing since the autumn, was the catalyst, chipping a perfect ball towards his teammate at the far post.

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

Malmö’s Difficulties

This was the Swedish side's first match since the domestic league ended on 9 November, and they found it hard to equal Forest’s energy. The Reds made it 3-0 when the defender applied the finishing touch after his centre-back partner Murillo headed back a set-piece. Yates had a volley blocked, but the Serbian centre-back Milenkovic pounced on the leftovers.

The home side then pushed for more, with Hudson-Odoi dinking a effort on to the bar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an optimistic shot wide from distance. It was that kind of nights. Dyche, aware of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton, made seven changes from the team that surprised Liverpool at Anfield last weekend, when they also scored three times, though he introduced substitutes and further fresh legs during the final period.

Hiccup-Free Night for the Team

It proved a hiccup-free evening for Forest. Dyche could take off Murillo with the game long since boxed off and subsequently introduced teenage defender Jimmy Sinclair for his senior bow. Dyche discussed the club legends supplying “bits of gold” at weekly get-togethers and, almost five decades on, the current crop showed they are able of a few nuggets of thrills, as well.