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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” echoed around the ground as Nottingham Forest followers reveled in another win against their Swedish opponents. Much has happened since Trevor Francis’s winning header clinched the continental trophy in 1979, but Forest still treasure those memories. Equally, significant changes have occurred in the five weeks since Sean Dyche took charge, with Forest appearing refreshed and securing a comfortable victory courtesy of goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, enhancing their prospects of advancing in the European competition.

Gaining Momentum with Third Straight Win

For Forest, this performance – against a Malmö side that had not played for nearly a month after ending in sixth place in their domestic league – marked a third straight triumph across every tournament and further built on the momentum generated from the previous week's success at Anfield. While this fixture was a reminder of the club's European Cup triumph in name, the encounter itself was devoid of any real jeopardy or nerves.

It proved to be an occasion dripping in sentiment, an eagerly awaited meeting and the third meeting between the sides since the showpiece event over four decades past.

The home side leaned into the history, honoring the legends of that era by providing them, along with their visiting counterparts, the red-carpet treatment. 13 members of the Malmö's team from that time were additionally present. The two clubs shared a meal together before the kick-off. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and their teammates were given a rousing reception when they gathered on the field 15 minutes before kick-off, and a characteristically impressive tifo was unveiled in the home stand.

Remembering the Past

“30th May 1979, Robertson crossed it in from the left,” read one part of a giant tifo, in capital letters. While nobody needed reminding of what ensued, the rest was unfurled as the squads emerged from the tunnel. “And there’s Francis,” it stated. Another brilliant tifo showed Clough observing events beside his right-hand man Taylor on a bench at the Munich stadium.

Control from the Start

So, the hosts had drunk in those wonderful recollections, but what about the performance on the evening? It was pretty good, too. They were in complete control from the moment Kalimuendo fired an attempt off target inside two minutes and established a 2-0 lead by the break. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Zach Abbott, on his maiden European start, had a go.

It seemed appropriate that Ryan Yates, who joined Forest aged eight, made the first dent in the visitors' defence captained by their own homegrown captain, Pontus Jansson, previously of Leeds and Brentford. The home centre-back Milenkovic saw a cross cannon off a opponent and into the path of the midfielder, who swept home with his right foot from the edge of the penalty area to score his maiden strike since last March.

Second Strike Confirms Control

The scorer was involved in Forest’s next goal on the verge of the interval, too, his unmarked header saved by the shot-stopper Ellborg but the alert forward on hand to convert the rebound from close range. James McAtee, the midfielder given a seldom start and just his second outing since September, was the spark, chipping a delicious ball towards Yates at the far post.

Just moments before, Hudson-Odoi’s driven shot was deflected wide off the back Rösler, the son of ex- Man City striker Uwe, and an free the defender also earlier had a powerful header smartly saved by the keeper, who returned in place of the ex- Aston Villa goalkeeper Olsen.

Malmö’s Struggles

This was Malmö’s first match since the domestic league concluded on November 9th, and they struggled to match the home team's intensity. Forest extended the lead to three when the defender applied the finishing touch after his centre-back partner Murillo headed back a corner. The captain had a shot stopped, but the Serbian centre-back Milenkovic feasted on the leftovers.

The home side then pushed for more, with Hudson-Odoi chipping a right-foot shot on to the crossbar before Sangaré sent an optimistic shot off target from 30 yards. It was that kind of evenings. The manager, aware of Sunday’s league game here against Brighton, implemented seven changes from the side that surprised Liverpool at their ground last weekend, when they also scored three times, though he called on Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and further fresh legs during the final period.

Smooth Evening for the Team

It turned out to be a flawless evening for Forest. The coach could withdraw Murillo with the game already boxed off and subsequently brought on 19-year-old full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his first-team debut. He discussed the club legends providing “bits of gold” at weekly get-togethers and, nearly fifty years on, the current crop showed they are able of a few nuggets of excitement, as well.