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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” was chanted through the ground as Forest supporters celebrated a further success against Malmö. Much has happened since Francis's decisive header clinched the European Cup in 1979, but Forest continue to cherish those glorious moments. Equally, major shifts have occurred in the five weeks since the manager took charge, with Forest looking reinvigorated and earning a comfortable win courtesy of goals from Kalimuendo, Ryan Yates, and Milenkovic, boosting their prospects of advancing in the European competition.

Gaining Steam with Another Straight Victory

For Nottingham Forest, this result – against a Malmö side that had not played for nearly a month after ending sixth in their home competition – represented a third straight triumph across every tournament and further built on the positive energy generated from last weekend’s success at Anfield. While this match was a re-run of Forest’s European Cup success in name, the game itself was devoid of any real jeopardy or nerves.

This was an event filled with sentiment, an longed-for reunion and the third competitive meeting between the teams since the European Cup final over four decades past.

The home side fully embraced the heritage, honoring the legends of 1979 by giving them, along with their Malmö counterparts, the VIP welcome. 13 members of the Malmö's squad from that time were also present. Both teams enjoyed a meal together before the kick-off. Forest legends and their teammates were given a tumultuous reception when they gathered on the pitch a quarter of an hour before kick-off, and a characteristically superb display was unveiled in the home stand.

Recalling History

“May 30, 1979, John Robertson delivered the ball from the left,” read half of a giant tifo, in block capitals. While no one needed reminding of what happened next, the rest was revealed as the squads came out from the tunnel. “And there’s Francis,” it continued. A second brilliant tifo showed Clough observing 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 showing on the night? It was strong, too. They were in full command from the moment the forward fired an effort wide inside two minutes and established a two-goal lead by the half-time interval. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Zach Abbott, on his maiden European start, tried his luck.

It felt fitting that Yates, who joined the club aged eight, made the first dent in the visitors' defence captained by their own homegrown skipper, Pontus Jansson, previously of Leeds United and Brentford. The home centre-back Milenkovic saw a delivery deflect off a opponent and into the path of Yates, who swept home right-footed from just inside the box to register his first goal since last March.

Another Strike Confirms Dominance

Yates was implicated in Forest’s second goal on the brink of the interval, as well, his unmarked header parried by Malmö’s shot-stopper Ellborg but the alert forward on hand to convert the loose ball from point-blank range. McAtee, the midfielder given a seldom start and just his second outing since the autumn, was the catalyst, lofting a perfect ball towards his teammate at the far post.

Just moments before, Callum Hudson-Odoi driven shot was turned aside off Malmö defender Rösler, the son of former Man City striker Uwe Rösler, and an free Milenkovic had previously had a powerful header smartly saved by Ellborg, who was back in place of the former Villa goalie Robin Olsen.

Opponent's Difficulties

This was Malmö’s first match since the domestic league concluded on 9 November, and they struggled to match Forest’s energy. Forest made it 3-0 when Milenkovic scored after his defensive colleague Murillo kept alive a set-piece. 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 dinking a right-foot shot on to the crossbar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an ambitious effort wide from distance. It was that kind of nights. Dyche, aware of Sunday’s league game here against Brighton & Hove Albion, made multiple alterations from the team that stunned the Reds at Anfield last weekend, when they also netted three times, though he introduced substitutes and Igor Jesus midway through the final period.

Smooth Night for the Team

It proved a flawless night for Nottingham Forest. Dyche could withdraw Murillo with the match long since boxed off and later introduced teenage full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his first-team debut. He discussed the Forest old guard supplying “bits of gold” at weekly get-togethers and, nearly fifty years on, the current crop demonstrated they are capable of a few nuggets of excitement, too.