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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” echoed around the stadium as Forest fans reveled in a further success against Malmö. A great deal has happened since Trevor Francis’s winning header secured the European Cup back in the year 1979, but the club continue to cherish those glorious moments. Similarly, significant shifts have occurred in the five weeks since Sean Dyche took charge, with the team appearing refreshed and securing a convincing win thanks to goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Yates, and Milenkovic, boosting their hopes of progressing in the European competition.

Building Steam with Third Straight Victory

For Forest, this performance – against a Malmö side that had not played for almost three weeks after ending sixth in their home competition – represented a third straight win across every tournament and further built on the positive energy gained from the previous week's stunning victory at Liverpool. While this match was a re-run of Forest’s historic success in name, the encounter itself was free of any significant tension or nerves.

It proved to be an event filled with sentiment, an longed-for meeting and the third meeting between the teams since the showpiece event over four decades past.

The home side leaned into the history, honoring the legends of 1979 by giving them, along with their visiting counterparts, the VIP welcome. Thirteen members of the Malmö's team from then were also in attendance. The two clubs shared a dinner together prior to the match. Forest legends and company received a tumultuous reception when they assembled on the pitch 15 minutes before kick-off, and a characteristically impressive display was unveiled in the Trent End.

Recalling the Past

“May 30, 1979, John Robertson delivered the ball from the left,” displayed one part of a giant banner, in capital letters. While nobody needed reminding of what ensued, the remaining section was unfurled as the players came out from the tunnel. “And there’s Francis,” it stated. Another stunning tifo showed Clough watching events beside his right-hand man Peter Taylor on a dugout at the Olympiastadion.

Dominance from the Outset

So, Forest had drunk in those beautiful 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 wide inside the opening moments and established a 2-0 advantage by the break. Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Zach Abbott, on his maiden European start, had a go.

It seemed appropriate that Ryan Yates, who came to the club as an eight-year-old, made the first dent in the visitors' defence led by their own homegrown skipper, Pontus Jansson, formerly of Leeds United and Brentford. The Forest centre-back Nikola Milenkovic saw a delivery deflect 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

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

A minute earlier, Callum Hudson-Odoi low effort was turned wide off the defender Colin Rösler, the son of former Manchester City forward Uwe, and an free Milenkovic also previously had a powerful header smartly saved by the keeper, who was back in place of the former Villa goalkeeper Robin Olsen.

Malmö’s Struggles

This was the Swedish side's first match since the Swedish Allsvenskan ended on 9 November, and they found it hard to match Forest’s energy. Forest extended the lead to three when Milenkovic applied the finishing touch after his centre-back partner Murillo kept alive a set-piece. The captain had a volley blocked, but the Serbia defender Milenkovic pounced on the leftovers.

The home side then pushed for more, with the winger chipping a right-foot shot on to the crossbar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an ambitious effort wide from 30 yards. It was that kind of nights. Dyche, mindful of the upcoming domestic fixture here against Brighton & Hove Albion, made seven changes from the team that surprised the Reds at Anfield recently, when they also netted three goals, though he called on substitutes and Igor Jesus midway through the second half.

Hiccup-Free Night for the Team

It proved a hiccup-free evening for Forest. Dyche could withdraw Murillo with the game long since boxed off and subsequently brought on 19-year-old full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his senior bow. Dyche talked about the club legends providing “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, almost five decades on, the current crop demonstrated they are capable of producing of thrills, too.