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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” was chanted through the City Ground as Nottingham Forest fans celebrated a further result against their Swedish opponents. A great deal has transpired since Francis's decisive header secured the continental trophy back in the year 1979, but the club continue to hold dear those glorious moments. Equally, significant shifts have occurred in the five weeks since Sean Dyche assumed control, with Forest looking reinvigorated and securing a convincing victory courtesy of goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, boosting their prospects of progressing in the European competition.

Building Momentum with Another Consecutive Win

For Forest, this performance – against a Swedish side that had been inactive for nearly a month after finishing in sixth place in their domestic league – marked a third consecutive triumph across every tournament and added to the positive energy generated from last weekend’s stunning victory at Liverpool. While this fixture was a re-run of Forest’s European Cup triumph in name, the encounter itself was devoid of any real tension or nerves.

This was an occasion dripping in sentiment, an longed-for reunion and the third competitive clash between the teams since the European Cup final over four decades past.

Forest fully embraced the history, honoring the legends of that era by providing them, along with their Malmö opponents, the VIP welcome. Thirteen members of the Swedish club’s team from that time were also in attendance. The two clubs enjoyed a dinner together before the match. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and company received a tumultuous welcome when they gathered on the field 15 minutes before the start, and a characteristically impressive display was unveiled in the Trent End.

Remembering History

“30th May 1979, Robertson delivered the ball from the left,” read one part of a giant tifo, in block capitals. While no one needed reminding of what happened next, the remaining section was unfurled as the squads came out from the dressing rooms. “And there’s Francis,” it stated. Another stunning display depicted Brian Clough watching events beside his right-hand man Peter Taylor on a bench at the Olympiastadion.

Control from the Outset

So, Forest had soaked up those beautiful memories, but what about the performance on the night? It was impressive, too. They were in complete control from the moment Kalimuendo fired an attempt off target inside two minutes and built a two-goal lead by the break. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Abbott, on his maiden European start, tried his luck.

It felt fitting that Yates, who came to Forest aged eight, made the first dent in the visitors' defence captained by their own homegrown captain, Pontus Jansson, formerly of Leeds United and Brentford FC. The Forest centre-back Milenkovic saw a delivery deflect off a defender and into the pathway of Yates, who finished right-footed from just inside the box to register his maiden strike since last March.

Another Strike Confirms Control

The scorer was implicated in Forest’s next goal on the brink of the interval, too, his unmarked header parried by Malmö’s shot-stopper Melker Ellborg but the alert forward on hand to convert the rebound from point-blank range. McAtee, the midfielder handed a rare start and just his second outing since September, was the spark, chipping a perfect ball towards his teammate at the back post.

Just moments before, Hudson-Odoi’s driven shot was deflected wide off the back Colin Rösler, son of former Manchester City striker Uwe, and an free the defender also previously had a powerful header smartly repelled by the keeper, who was back in place of the former Villa goalie Olsen.

Opponent's Difficulties

This was the Swedish side's first match since the Swedish Allsvenskan concluded on 9 November, and they struggled to match the home team's energy. Forest extended the lead to three when the defender scored after his centre-back partner Murillo kept alive a corner. Yates had a volley blocked, but the Serbian centre-back Milenkovic pounced on the rebound.

Forest then went for the jugular, with the winger chipping a right-foot shot on to the crossbar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an optimistic shot off target from distance. It was that kind of nights. The manager, mindful of Sunday’s league game here against Brighton, implemented seven changes from the side that stunned Liverpool at Anfield recently, when they additionally scored three times, though he introduced Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and further fresh legs midway through the second half.

Hiccup-Free Night for the Team

It turned out to be a flawless evening for Forest. Dyche could take off the defender with the game long since boxed off and subsequently brought on teenage 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, almost five decades on, the present squad demonstrated they are capable of a few nuggets of excitement, too.