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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” echoed around the City Ground as Nottingham Forest supporters celebrated a further result against Malmö. A great deal has happened since Francis's decisive header secured the continental trophy in 1979, but Forest continue to treasure those glorious moments. Equally, significant shifts have taken place in the weeks since the manager assumed control, with Forest looking refreshed and securing a comfortable win thanks to goals from Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, enhancing their hopes of progressing in the Europa League.

Building Momentum with Third Consecutive Victory

For Nottingham Forest, this result – against a Malmö side that had been inactive for nearly a month after finishing sixth in their home competition – marked a third consecutive win across every tournament and further built on the positive energy generated from last weekend’s success at Liverpool. While this match was a reminder of the club's European Cup success in name, the encounter itself was devoid of any real tension or nerves.

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

The home side leaned into the history, honoring the legends of that era by giving them, along with their Malmö opponents, the red-carpet treatment. Thirteen members of the Swedish club’s team from that time were also present. The two clubs enjoyed a dinner together prior to the match. Forest legends and their teammates received a rousing welcome when they assembled on the pitch a quarter of an hour before the start, and a characteristically superb display was unveiled in the home stand.

Remembering History

“30th May 1979, John Robertson crossed it in from the left,” displayed one part of a giant banner, in capital letters. While nobody required a reminder of what ensued, the remaining section was unfurled as the players came out from the dressing rooms. “And there’s Francis,” it stated. Another stunning display depicted Brian Clough observing events beside his assistant Peter Taylor on a dugout at the Munich stadium.

Control from the Start

So, the hosts had soaked up those wonderful memories, but what about the showing on the evening? It was impressive, too. They were in complete control from the moment Kalimuendo whistled an effort off target inside the opening moments and established a two-goal lead by the half-time interval. Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Abbott, on his first European start, tried his luck.

It seemed appropriate that Ryan Yates, who joined Forest aged eight, made the initial breakthrough in the Malmö defence led by their own academy product captain, Jansson, formerly of Leeds and Brentford. The Forest defender Nikola Milenkovic saw a delivery deflect off a opponent and into the path of Yates, who swept home with his right foot from just inside the box to register his maiden strike since March.

Another Strike Confirms Control

Yates was implicated in Forest’s second goal on the verge of the interval, too, his unmarked header parried by Malmö’s shot-stopper Ellborg but Kalimuendo on hand to tap in the rebound from point-blank range. James McAtee, the midfielder handed a seldom start and just his second outing since the autumn, was the spark, lofting a perfect ball towards Yates at the back post.

A minute earlier, Callum Hudson-Odoi low effort was turned wide off the back Rösler, son of ex- Man City forward Uwe Rösler, and an unmarked the defender also earlier had a powerful header instinctively saved by the keeper, who was back in place of the ex- Villa goalie Robin Olsen.

Malmö’s Struggles

This was Malmö’s first match since the domestic league ended on November 9th, and they found it hard to equal Forest’s intensity. Forest extended the lead to three when the defender scored after his defensive colleague Murillo kept alive a corner. Yates had a shot blocked, but the Serbia centre-back Milenkovic pounced on the leftovers.

The home side then went for the jugular, with the winger chipping a right-foot shot on to the bar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an optimistic shot off target from 30 yards. It was that kind of nights. The manager, aware of the upcoming domestic fixture here against Brighton, implemented seven changes from the team that surprised Liverpool at their ground recently, when they additionally netted three goals, though he called on substitutes and further fresh legs during the second half.

Hiccup-Free Evening for the Team

It turned out to be a flawless night for Forest. The coach could take off the defender with the game already sewn up and later introduced 19-year-old defender Jimmy Sinclair for his first-team debut. Dyche talked about the club legends providing “bits of gold” at weekly get-togethers and, almost five decades on, the current crop showed they are capable of a few nuggets of excitement, too.