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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” rang out through the City Ground as Nottingham Forest supporters celebrated another success against their Swedish opponents. A great deal has occurred since Trevor Francis’s winning header secured the European Cup back in 1979, but the club continue to cherish those glorious moments. Equally, major shifts have occurred in the weeks since Sean Dyche assumed control, with Forest appearing reinvigorated and securing a comfortable win thanks to goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, enhancing their prospects of progressing in the European competition.

Gaining Momentum with Third Consecutive Victory

For Forest, this result – against a Swedish side that had not played for almost three weeks after finishing sixth in their home competition – represented a third consecutive win across every tournament and further built on the positive energy gained from last weekend’s success at Anfield. While this fixture was a re-run of the club's historic triumph in spirit, the encounter itself was free of any significant jeopardy or jitters.

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

The home side fully embraced the heritage, paying tribute to the heroes of that era by providing them, along with their Malmö counterparts, the VIP welcome. Thirteen members of the Swedish club’s team from that time were also in attendance. The two clubs shared a meal together prior to the kick-off. Forest legends and company were given a tumultuous welcome when they assembled on the pitch 15 minutes before the start, and a typically impressive tifo was unveiled in the home stand.

Remembering the Past

“30th May 1979, Robertson crossed it in from the left flank,” read one part of a large banner, in capital letters. While no one needed reminding of what ensued, the rest was unfurled as the squads came out from the dressing rooms. “There is Francis,” it stated. Another stunning display showed Brian Clough observing events beside his assistant Taylor on a dugout at the Munich stadium.

Dominance from the Outset

So, Forest had soaked up those beautiful recollections, but what about the showing on the evening? It was strong, as well. They were in complete control from the moment Kalimuendo whistled an effort wide inside two minutes and built a two-goal lead by the half-time interval. Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Zach Abbott, on his first European start, had a go.

It felt fitting that Yates, who joined the club as an eight-year-old, made the initial breakthrough in the visitors' defense captained by their own academy product skipper, Jansson, formerly of Leeds United and Brentford. The Forest defender Milenkovic saw a delivery cannon off a opponent and into the path of Yates, who finished right-footed from just inside the box to register his maiden strike since March.

Second Strike Confirms Control

The scorer was implicated in the team's second goal on the brink of the interval, too, his free header parried by Malmö’s goalkeeper Melker Ellborg but Kalimuendo on hand to convert the loose ball from point-blank range. McAtee, the midfielder handed 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, Callum Hudson-Odoi driven shot was turned wide off Malmö defender Colin Rösler, the son of ex- Manchester City striker Uwe Rösler, and an unmarked the defender also earlier had a strong header smartly repelled by Ellborg, who was back in place of the former Aston Villa goalie Olsen.

Malmö’s Difficulties

This was Malmö’s initial game since the domestic league ended on 9 November, and they struggled to match Forest’s energy. The Reds made it 3-0 when Milenkovic scored after his defensive colleague Murillo kept alive a corner. The captain had a shot stopped, but the Serbian centre-back Milenkovic feasted on the rebound.

The home side then went for the jugular, with Hudson-Odoi dinking a right-foot shot on to the bar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an optimistic effort off target from distance. It was one of those nights. The manager, mindful of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton & Hove Albion, implemented multiple alterations from the side that surprised Liverpool at Anfield last weekend, when they also scored three times, though he called on Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and further fresh legs midway through the final period.

Smooth Evening for Forest

It proved a flawless night for Forest. The coach could take off Murillo with the game long since sewn up and later introduced teenage full-back Sinclair for his first-team debut. Dyche talked about the Forest old guard providing “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, almost five decades on, the present squad demonstrated they are able of a few nuggets of thrills, too.