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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” echoed through the ground as Nottingham Forest supporters reveled in another success against their Swedish opponents. Much has happened since Francis's decisive header secured the European Cup in 1979, but the club continue to treasure those glorious moments. Similarly, significant shifts have taken place in the five weeks since the manager took charge, with the team looking reinvigorated and earning a convincing win courtesy of goals from Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Milenkovic, enhancing their prospects of progressing in the European competition.

Gaining Momentum with Another Consecutive Victory

For Nottingham Forest, this result – against a Malmö side that had been inactive for almost three weeks after ending in sixth place in their home competition – marked a third straight win across all competitions and further built on the positive energy gained from the previous week's success at Liverpool. While this fixture was a re-run of the club's historic success in spirit, the game itself was devoid of any real tension or nerves.

This was an occasion dripping in sentiment, an eagerly awaited meeting and the third competitive clash between the sides since the showpiece event over four decades past.

The home side leaned into the heritage, paying tribute to the legends of that era by providing them, along with their visiting counterparts, the red-carpet treatment. 13 members of the Swedish club’s team from that time were also in attendance. 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 gathered on the field 15 minutes before kick-off, and a typically superb tifo was unveiled in the home stand.

Recalling History

“30th May 1979, John Robertson delivered the ball from the left flank,” read one part of a giant tifo, in block capitals. While nobody needed reminding of what ensued, the rest was unfurled as the players came out from the tunnel. “There is Francis,” it continued. Another brilliant display depicted Brian Clough observing proceedings beside his right-hand man Peter Taylor on a bench at the Olympiastadion.

Control from the Start

So, the hosts had drunk in those beautiful memories, but what about the performance on the night? It was pretty good, too. They were in complete control from the moment Kalimuendo whistled an attempt off target inside the opening moments and established a two-goal advantage 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 the club as an eight-year-old, made the initial breakthrough in the visitors' defense led by their own academy product captain, Jansson, formerly of Leeds United and Brentford. The home defender Nikola Milenkovic saw a cross deflect off a defender and into the pathway of the midfielder, who swept home right-footed from just inside the box to register his first goal since March.

Another Strike Seals Dominance

Yates was implicated in Forest’s second goal on the verge of the interval, as well, his unmarked header parried by the goalkeeper Melker Ellborg but Kalimuendo on hand to tap in the loose ball from point-blank range. McAtee, the midfielder handed a rare start and only his second outing since the autumn, was the spark, lofting a perfect ball towards his teammate at the back post.

Just moments before, Callum Hudson-Odoi driven shot was turned wide off Malmö back Colin Rösler, the son of former Man City striker Uwe, and an free the defender also earlier had a strong header smartly repelled by the keeper, who was back in place of the former Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen.

Opponent's Struggles

This was Malmö’s first match since the domestic league concluded on November 9th, and they struggled to equal the home team's intensity. Forest made it 3-0 when the defender applied the finishing touch after his defensive colleague Murillo kept alive a set-piece. Yates had a shot blocked, but the Serbia centre-back Milenkovic pounced on the rebound.

The home side then went for the jugular, with Hudson-Odoi chipping a effort on to the crossbar before Sangaré sent an optimistic effort wide from distance. It was that kind of evenings. The manager, mindful of Sunday’s league game here against Brighton, implemented multiple alterations from the team that surprised the Reds at Anfield recently, when they also netted three goals, though he called on Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and further fresh legs midway through the second half.

Hiccup-Free Night for Forest

It proved a hiccup-free evening for Nottingham Forest. The coach could take off the defender with the match already sewn up and subsequently brought on 19-year-old full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his senior bow. Dyche talked about the Forest old guard providing “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, nearly fifty years on, the present squad demonstrated they are able of producing of thrills, too.