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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” echoed around the stadium as Forest supporters reveled in a further success against their Swedish opponents. Much has transpired since Francis's decisive header clinched the continental trophy back in 1979, but the club continue to treasure those memories. Similarly, significant shifts have taken place in the five weeks since Sean Dyche took charge, with the team looking refreshed and securing a comfortable victory thanks to goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, enhancing their hopes of progressing in the European competition.

Building Momentum with Third Straight Victory

For Nottingham Forest, this performance – against a Swedish side that had not played for nearly a month after ending sixth in their home competition – marked a third consecutive triumph across all competitions and further built on the positive energy generated from last weekend’s success at Anfield. While this fixture was a re-run of the club's historic triumph in name, the game itself was devoid of any significant jeopardy or nerves.

It proved to be an occasion filled with sentiment, an eagerly awaited meeting and the third clash between the teams since the European Cup final over four decades past.

The home side leaned into the history, paying tribute to the heroes of that era by providing them, along with their Malmö counterparts, the red-carpet treatment. Thirteen members of the Swedish club’s team from that time were additionally in attendance. The two clubs shared a dinner together prior to the kick-off. Forest legends and company were given a rousing reception when they gathered on the pitch 15 minutes before the start, and a typically superb tifo was unveiled in the Trent End.

Recalling History

“May 30, 1979, John Robertson crossed it in from the left flank,” read one part of a giant banner, in capital letters. While no one needed reminding of what happened next, the rest was revealed as the players came out from the tunnel. “There is Francis,” it stated. A second stunning display depicted 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 soaked up those wonderful recollections, but what about the performance on the night? It was strong, too. They were in complete control from the moment Kalimuendo whistled an attempt wide inside the opening moments and established a two-goal lead by the break. Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Zach Abbott, on his first European start, tried his luck.

It felt fitting that Yates, who joined the club as an eight-year-old, made the first dent in the visitors' defense led by their own homegrown captain, Pontus Jansson, previously of Leeds United and Brentford. The home defender Milenkovic saw a delivery cannon off a defender and into the path of the midfielder, who swept home right-footed from the edge of the penalty area to register his maiden strike since last March.

Another Goal Confirms Control

The scorer was involved in the team's next goal on the verge of the interval, too, his free header saved by the goalkeeper Melker Ellborg but Kalimuendo poised to tap in the rebound from point-blank range. James McAtee, the playmaker given a rare start and just his second outing since September, was the spark, lofting a delicious ball towards his teammate at the back post.

Just moments before, Hudson-Odoi’s driven shot was deflected aside off Malmö defender Colin Rösler, son of former Manchester City striker Uwe, and an unmarked the defender had earlier had a powerful header smartly saved by Ellborg, who returned in place of the former Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen.

Malmö’s Difficulties

This was Malmö’s initial game since the domestic league ended on 9 November, 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 centre-back partner Murillo kept alive a corner. Yates had a shot stopped, but the Serbian centre-back Milenkovic pounced on the rebound.

Forest then pushed for more, with Hudson-Odoi dinking a right-foot shot on to the bar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an ambitious effort wide from distance. It was that kind of nights. The manager, aware of Sunday’s league game here against Brighton & Hove Albion, made multiple alterations from the team that surprised the Reds at their ground recently, when they also scored three goals, though he introduced substitutes and further fresh legs midway through the second half.

Smooth Evening for Forest

It proved a hiccup-free evening for Forest. The coach could take off Murillo with the match already sewn up and subsequently introduced teenage full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his first-team debut. He discussed the club legends providing “bits of gold” at regular meetings and, almost five decades on, the current crop showed they are able of a few nuggets of excitement, too.