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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” was chanted around the stadium as Nottingham Forest fans reveled in a further win against their Swedish opponents. Much has transpired since Francis's winning header clinched the continental trophy in the year 1979, but Forest continue to treasure those glorious moments. Equally, major shifts have occurred in the five weeks since Sean Dyche took charge, with Forest looking refreshed and earning a comfortable victory courtesy of goals from Kalimuendo, Yates, and Milenkovic, boosting their hopes of advancing in the European competition.

Building Steam with Third Consecutive Victory

For Forest, this result – against a Swedish side that had been inactive for nearly a month after finishing sixth in their home competition – represented a third straight win across every tournament and further built on the momentum generated from the previous week's stunning victory at Liverpool. While this fixture was a reminder of the club's historic success in spirit, the encounter itself was free of any real jeopardy or jitters.

This was an occasion dripping in nostalgia, an eagerly awaited meeting and the third meeting between the teams since the European Cup final 46 years ago.

Forest leaned into the history, paying tribute to the legends of that era by giving them, along with their visiting counterparts, the red-carpet treatment. 13 members of the Swedish club’s team from then were additionally present. The two clubs enjoyed a dinner together prior to the kick-off. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and their teammates were given a rousing reception when they assembled on the field 15 minutes before kick-off, and a typically superb tifo was unveiled in the home stand.

Remembering the Past

“May 30, 1979, John Robertson delivered the ball from the left flank,” displayed one part of a large banner, in block capitals. While no one needed reminding of what ensued, the rest was unfurled as the players came out from the tunnel. “There is Francis,” it stated. A second stunning tifo showed Brian Clough watching proceedings beside his right-hand man Taylor on a bench at the Olympiastadion.

Control from the Outset

So, the hosts had drunk in those beautiful memories, but what about the showing on the night? It was impressive, as well. They were in full command from the moment the forward whistled an effort wide inside two minutes and established a 2-0 advantage by the break. Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Zach Abbott, on his first European start, tried his luck.

It seemed appropriate that Ryan Yates, who came to the club aged eight, made the first dent in the Malmö defence captained by their own homegrown captain, Pontus Jansson, formerly of Leeds and Brentford FC. The Forest defender Milenkovic saw a delivery deflect off a opponent and into the pathway of Yates, who finished right-footed from the edge of the box to score his first goal since last March.

Second Goal Seals Dominance

The scorer was implicated in the team's second goal on the verge of half-time, as well, his unmarked header saved by the shot-stopper Ellborg but the alert forward on hand to tap in the loose ball from point-blank range. McAtee, the playmaker given a rare start and just his second outing since the autumn, was the spark, chipping a delicious ball towards his teammate at the far post.

A minute earlier, Hudson-Odoi’s low effort was deflected wide off Malmö defender Colin Rösler, the son of former Man City striker Uwe Rösler, and an free Milenkovic also previously had a strong header smartly repelled by the keeper, who was back in place of the former Villa goalie Robin Olsen.

Malmö’s Difficulties

This was the Swedish side's first match since the Swedish Allsvenskan ended on November 9th, and they struggled to equal the home team's intensity. The Reds made it 3-0 when Milenkovic applied the finishing touch after his defensive colleague Murillo kept alive a corner. The captain had a volley stopped, but the Serbian centre-back Milenkovic pounced on the leftovers.

Forest then went for the jugular, with the winger dinking a effort on to the crossbar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an ambitious effort off target from 30 yards. It was one of those nights. The manager, aware of the upcoming league game here against Brighton & Hove Albion, implemented multiple alterations from the team that surprised the Reds at their ground last weekend, when they also scored three times, though he introduced substitutes and Igor Jesus midway through the second half.

Smooth Evening for the Team

It proved a flawless evening for Nottingham Forest. The coach could take off Murillo with the game long since boxed off and subsequently introduced 19-year-old defender Sinclair for his first-team debut. Dyche discussed the Forest old guard providing “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, nearly fifty years on, the current crop showed they are able of a few nuggets of thrills, too.