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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” was chanted around the City Ground as Forest followers reveled in another success against their Swedish opponents. Much has transpired since Trevor Francis’s winning header clinched the European Cup in 1979, but the club still cherish those glorious moments. Similarly, major shifts have occurred in the five weeks since Sean Dyche assumed control, with Forest appearing refreshed and securing a comfortable win thanks to goals from Kalimuendo, Yates, and Milenkovic, enhancing their prospects of advancing in the Europa League.

Gaining Momentum with Another Consecutive Win

For Forest, this result – against a Swedish side that had been inactive for almost three weeks after finishing in sixth place in their home competition – represented a third straight win across every tournament and further built on the momentum gained from last weekend’s success at Liverpool. While this fixture was a re-run of Forest’s historic success in name, the game itself was free of any real jeopardy or nerves.

It proved to be an event filled with nostalgia, an longed-for reunion and the third clash between the teams since the showpiece event over four decades past.

Forest fully embraced the history, honoring the heroes of that era by giving them, along with their visiting counterparts, the VIP welcome. Thirteen members of the Malmö's team from that time were also in attendance. Both teams enjoyed a meal together before the match. Forest legends and their teammates received a rousing reception when they gathered on the field a quarter of an hour before the start, and a characteristically superb tifo 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 block capitals. While nobody required a reminder of what happened next, the rest was revealed as the squads came out from the dressing rooms. “There is Francis,” it stated. A second brilliant display depicted Clough observing proceedings beside his right-hand man Taylor on a bench at the Olympiastadion.

Dominance from the Start

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

It felt fitting that Yates, who joined Forest as an eight-year-old, made the initial breakthrough in the visitors' defense led by their own academy product captain, Pontus Jansson, formerly of Leeds United and Brentford FC. The Forest centre-back Nikola Milenkovic saw a delivery cannon off a opponent and into the path of the midfielder, who swept home with his right foot from the edge of the box to score his maiden strike since March.

Another Goal Seals Control

The scorer was implicated in the team's next goal on the verge of the interval, too, his unmarked header parried by the shot-stopper Ellborg but the alert forward on hand to tap in the rebound from close range. McAtee, the midfielder handed a seldom start and just his second outing since September, was the spark, chipping a delicious ball towards his teammate at the back post.

Just moments before, Hudson-Odoi’s driven shot was deflected wide off the back Rösler, the son of ex- Manchester City striker Uwe Rösler, and an unmarked Milenkovic also previously had a strong header instinctively repelled by the keeper, who was back in place of the ex- Aston Villa goalie Robin Olsen.

Opponent's Struggles

This was Malmö’s first match since the domestic league concluded on November 9th, and they found it hard to match Forest’s intensity. The Reds made it 3-0 when Milenkovic applied the finishing touch after his defensive colleague Murillo kept alive a corner. Yates had a volley stopped, but the Serbian defender Milenkovic feasted on the rebound.

The home side then pushed for more, with the winger dinking a right-foot shot on to the crossbar before Sangaré sent an optimistic shot off target from distance. It was one of those nights. The manager, aware of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton, implemented seven changes from the team that surprised Liverpool at their ground last weekend, when they also netted three goals, though he introduced substitutes and Igor Jesus midway through the final period.

Smooth Evening for the Team

It turned out to be a hiccup-free night for Forest. Dyche could take off Murillo with the match long since sewn up and later brought on 19-year-old defender Sinclair for his senior bow. He discussed the Forest old guard supplying “valuable insights” at regular meetings and, almost five decades on, the present squad showed they are able of producing of excitement, too.