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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” echoed around the City Ground as Forest supporters reveled in a further result against Malmö. A great deal has happened since Trevor Francis’s winning header clinched the European Cup in the year 1979, but the club continue to cherish those memories. Similarly, major shifts have occurred in the weeks since the manager assumed control, with the team appearing reinvigorated and securing a comfortable victory thanks to goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Yates, and Milenkovic, enhancing their hopes of progressing in the European competition.

Building Momentum with Another Straight Victory

For Forest, this performance – against a Malmö side that had not played for nearly a month after ending sixth in their domestic league – marked a third consecutive triumph across all competitions and added to the positive energy gained from last weekend’s success at Anfield. While this fixture was a re-run of the club's historic success in spirit, the game itself was free of any significant tension or jitters.

It proved to be an occasion filled with sentiment, an longed-for meeting and the third clash between the sides since the European Cup final 46 years ago.

Forest leaned into the heritage, honoring the heroes of that era by providing them, along with their Malmö counterparts, the VIP welcome. Thirteen members of the Swedish club’s squad from then were also in attendance. The two clubs enjoyed a dinner together before the match. Forest legends and their teammates were given a tumultuous welcome when they gathered on the field a quarter of an hour before the start, and a typically superb tifo was shown in the home stand.

Recalling the Past

“May 30, 1979, John Robertson crossed it in from the left flank,” read one part of a giant tifo, in block capitals. While nobody needed reminding of what ensued, the rest was unfurled as the players came out from the tunnel. “And there’s Francis,” it continued. Another stunning display showed Brian Clough observing proceedings beside his right-hand man Peter Taylor on a bench at the Munich stadium.

Control from the Outset

So, Forest had soaked up those wonderful recollections, but what about the showing on the evening? It was strong, as well. They were in full command from the moment the forward fired an attempt off target inside the opening moments and established a 2-0 advantage by the half-time interval. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Abbott, on his maiden European start, had a go.

It seemed appropriate that Yates, who came to Forest aged eight, made the initial breakthrough in the visitors' defence led by their own academy product captain, Pontus Jansson, previously of Leeds and Brentford. The home defender Milenkovic saw a cross deflect off a defender and into the path of Yates, who finished right-footed from the edge of the box to score his first goal since March.

Another Strike Confirms Dominance

Yates was involved in the team's second goal on the brink of half-time, as well, his free header saved by Malmö’s shot-stopper Ellborg but the alert forward poised to tap in the rebound from point-blank range. McAtee, the midfielder handed a rare start and only his second appearance since the autumn, was the catalyst, chipping a delicious ball towards Yates at the back post.

Just moments before, Hudson-Odoi’s low effort was deflected aside off Malmö back Colin Rösler, the son of former Manchester City forward Uwe Rösler, and an free Milenkovic had previously had a strong header instinctively saved by Ellborg, who was back in place of the ex- Aston Villa goalie Robin Olsen.

Malmö’s Struggles

This was the Swedish side's first match since the domestic league ended on November 9th, and they struggled to equal the home team's intensity. The Reds extended the lead to three when Milenkovic scored after his centre-back partner Murillo headed back a set-piece. The captain had a shot stopped, but the Serbia centre-back Milenkovic pounced on the leftovers.

The home side then pushed for more, with Hudson-Odoi dinking a right-foot shot on to the crossbar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an optimistic effort off target from 30 yards. It was one of those evenings. Dyche, aware of the upcoming domestic fixture here against Brighton, implemented seven changes from the side that surprised the Reds at their ground last weekend, when they additionally scored three goals, though he called on substitutes and Igor Jesus during the final period.

Smooth Evening for Forest

It turned out to be a hiccup-free night for Nottingham Forest. The coach could withdraw Murillo with the match already sewn up and later brought on 19-year-old full-back Sinclair for his senior bow. He discussed the club legends supplying “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, almost five decades on, the present squad demonstrated they are able of producing of excitement, too.