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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” rang out around the ground as Forest supporters celebrated a further result against their Swedish opponents. A great deal has happened since Francis's decisive header clinched the continental trophy back in 1979, but the club continue to treasure those glorious moments. Similarly, major changes have taken place in the weeks since Sean Dyche assumed control, with Forest appearing reinvigorated and securing a comfortable win thanks to goals from Kalimuendo, Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, enhancing their prospects of progressing in the European competition.

Gaining Steam with Another Straight Win

For Forest, this result – against a Swedish side that had not played for nearly a month after finishing sixth in their home competition – marked a third straight win across every tournament and added to the positive energy gained from the previous week's stunning victory at Anfield. While this match was a re-run of the club's European Cup success in name, the encounter itself was devoid of any significant tension or nerves.

It proved to be an event filled with sentiment, an eagerly awaited reunion and the third competitive meeting between the sides since the showpiece event 46 years ago.

The home side leaned into the heritage, paying tribute to the heroes of 1979 by providing them, along with their Malmö counterparts, the VIP welcome. Thirteen members of the Swedish club’s squad from then were also present. Both teams shared a meal together before the match. Forest legends and company were given a rousing reception when they gathered on the pitch 15 minutes before the start, and a typically superb display was unveiled in the home stand.

Recalling the Past

“30th May 1979, John Robertson delivered the ball from the left,” read half of a large tifo, in capital letters. While no one required a reminder of what ensued, the rest was revealed as the squads emerged from the tunnel. “There is Francis,” it continued. Another brilliant tifo showed Brian Clough observing events beside his assistant Peter Taylor on a bench at the Munich stadium.

Control from the Start

So, Forest had soaked up those beautiful memories, but what about the performance on the night? It was strong, too. They were in full command from the moment Kalimuendo fired an attempt wide inside the opening moments and built a two-goal lead by the half-time interval. Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Abbott, on his maiden European start, had a go.

It seemed appropriate that Yates, who joined the club aged eight, made the first dent in the Malmö defense captained by their own homegrown skipper, Pontus Jansson, formerly of Leeds United and Brentford. The Forest centre-back Milenkovic saw a delivery deflect off a opponent and into the pathway of Yates, who swept home with his right foot from just inside the penalty area to score his first goal since last March.

Second Strike Confirms Control

Yates was implicated in the team's next goal on the brink of the interval, too, his free header saved by Malmö’s goalkeeper Melker Ellborg but the alert forward on hand to tap in the rebound from point-blank range. James McAtee, the midfielder given a rare start and only his second outing since September, was the catalyst, chipping a delicious ball towards his teammate at the back post.

A minute earlier, Hudson-Odoi’s low effort was deflected wide off the defender Rösler, son of ex- Man City forward Uwe, and an unmarked the defender had earlier had a strong header smartly saved by the keeper, who returned in place of the former Aston Villa goalie Olsen.

Opponent's Struggles

This was Malmö’s first match since the Swedish Allsvenskan concluded on 9 November, and they found it hard to match Forest’s intensity. Forest extended the lead to three when Milenkovic scored after his centre-back partner Murillo kept alive a corner. The captain had a volley stopped, but the Serbia centre-back Milenkovic feasted on the rebound.

Forest then went for the jugular, with Hudson-Odoi dinking a effort on to the bar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an ambitious effort off target from 30 yards. It was one of those evenings. Dyche, aware of the upcoming league game here against Brighton & Hove Albion, implemented seven changes from the team that stunned the Reds at their ground last weekend, when they also scored three goals, though he called on substitutes and further fresh legs midway through the final period.

Smooth Evening for Forest

It proved a flawless evening for Forest. Dyche could take off Murillo with the game long since boxed off and later brought on 19-year-old full-back Sinclair for his senior bow. Dyche talked about the club legends supplying “valuable insights” at regular meetings and, almost five decades on, the current crop demonstrated they are able of producing of excitement, too.