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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” was chanted through the ground as Nottingham Forest supporters celebrated another result against their Swedish opponents. A great deal has happened since Trevor Francis’s decisive header secured the European Cup in 1979, but Forest still cherish those glorious moments. Similarly, major shifts have taken place in the five weeks since the manager assumed control, with Forest appearing refreshed and securing a comfortable win courtesy of goals from Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, enhancing their hopes of progressing in the European competition.

Gaining Steam with Third Straight Win

For Nottingham Forest, this result – against a Swedish side that had been inactive for almost three weeks after ending in sixth place in their home competition – marked a third consecutive win across every tournament and further built on the momentum generated from last weekend’s stunning victory 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 jitters.

It proved to be an event filled with nostalgia, an eagerly awaited reunion and the third clash between the sides since the European Cup final over four decades past.

The home side fully embraced the history, honoring the heroes of 1979 by giving them, along with their Malmö opponents, the red-carpet treatment. Thirteen members of the Swedish club’s squad from that time were additionally present. Both teams shared a dinner together before the kick-off. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and company were given a tumultuous welcome when they assembled on the pitch 15 minutes before the start, and a typically superb display was unveiled in the home stand.

Recalling History

“30th May 1979, Robertson delivered the ball from the left flank,” read half of a large tifo, in capital letters. While nobody needed reminding of what ensued, the remaining section was revealed as the players came out from the dressing rooms. “There is Francis,” it continued. A second stunning tifo showed Brian Clough watching proceedings beside his right-hand man Peter Taylor on a dugout at the Munich stadium.

Control from the Start

So, the hosts had drunk in those beautiful recollections, but what about the performance on the evening? It was pretty good, as well. They were in complete control from the moment the forward 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, tried his luck.

It seemed appropriate that Ryan Yates, who came to Forest as an eight-year-old, made the initial breakthrough in the visitors' defence led by their own academy product captain, Jansson, formerly of Leeds United and Brentford. The home defender Milenkovic saw a delivery cannon off a opponent and into the path of the midfielder, who finished right-footed from just inside the penalty area to score his first goal since March.

Another Strike Seals Dominance

Yates was involved in Forest’s second goal on the verge of the interval, as well, his unmarked header parried by Malmö’s shot-stopper Melker Ellborg but Kalimuendo on hand to tap in the loose ball from point-blank range. McAtee, the midfielder given a rare start and only his second appearance since September, was the spark, chipping a perfect ball towards Yates at the far post.

A minute earlier, Hudson-Odoi’s low effort was turned aside off the back Rösler, son of former Manchester City forward Uwe, and an unmarked the defender had earlier had a powerful header smartly saved by Ellborg, who returned in place of the former Aston Villa goalkeeper Olsen.

Malmö’s Struggles

This was the Swedish side's initial game since the Swedish Allsvenskan concluded on November 9th, and they struggled to equal the home team's intensity. The Reds extended the lead to three when the defender applied the finishing touch after his defensive colleague Murillo kept alive a corner. The captain had a volley blocked, but the Serbian centre-back Milenkovic feasted on the rebound.

The home side then pushed for more, with the winger chipping a effort on to the bar before Sangaré sent an optimistic effort off target from distance. It was that kind of nights. The manager, aware of Sunday’s league game here against Brighton & Hove Albion, implemented seven changes from the side that stunned Liverpool at Anfield last weekend, when they also scored three goals, though he introduced substitutes and further fresh legs during the second half.

Hiccup-Free Night for the Team

It proved a flawless evening for Forest. The coach could take off the defender with the game long since sewn up and later introduced 19-year-old full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his first-team debut. He talked about the Forest old guard providing “bits of gold” at weekly get-togethers and, nearly fifty years on, the current crop showed they are capable of a few nuggets of excitement, too.