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“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” echoed around the ground as Forest fans reveled in a further win against their Swedish opponents. Much has occurred since Trevor Francis’s decisive header clinched the continental trophy back in 1979, but Forest still treasure those glorious moments. Equally, major changes have occurred in the five weeks since the manager took charge, with the team appearing reinvigorated and securing a comfortable victory courtesy of goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Yates, and Milenkovic, boosting their hopes of advancing in the Europa League.

Gaining Steam with Another Straight Victory

For Forest, this performance – against a Swedish side that had not played for almost three weeks after ending in sixth place in their home competition – represented a third straight triumph across all competitions and added to the momentum generated from last weekend’s success at Liverpool. While this match was a re-run of Forest’s historic triumph in spirit, the encounter itself was free of any real jeopardy or jitters.

It proved to be an event dripping in nostalgia, an eagerly awaited reunion and the third meeting between the teams since the European Cup final over four decades past.

Forest leaned into the heritage, paying tribute to the heroes of that era by giving them, along with their Malmö counterparts, the red-carpet treatment. 13 members of the Swedish club’s team from that time were also present. The two clubs enjoyed a dinner together before the kick-off. Forest legends and company were given a tumultuous welcome when they gathered on the field a quarter of an hour before the start, and a characteristically superb display was unveiled in the Trent End.

Recalling the Past

“May 30, 1979, John Robertson crossed it in from the left flank,” read one part of a giant tifo, in capital letters. While no one required a reminder of what happened next, the remaining section was unfurled as the squads came out from the tunnel. “There is Francis,” it continued. A second brilliant display depicted Clough watching proceedings beside his right-hand man Peter Taylor on a bench at the Munich stadium.

Dominance from the Start

So, Forest had soaked up those wonderful memories, but what about the performance on the evening? It was impressive, too. They were in complete control from the moment the forward fired an attempt wide inside two minutes and built a 2-0 lead by the break. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header wide and then 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' defense captained by their own homegrown skipper, Pontus Jansson, previously of Leeds 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 Control

Yates was implicated in the team's second goal on the brink of half-time, too, his free header parried by the goalkeeper Ellborg but Kalimuendo poised to convert the rebound from point-blank range. James McAtee, the playmaker given a seldom start and just his second appearance since September, was the catalyst, chipping a delicious ball towards Yates at the back post.

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

Malmö’s Struggles

This was the Swedish side's first match since the domestic league ended on 9 November, and they found it hard to match the home team's energy. Forest made it 3-0 when Milenkovic scored after his defensive colleague Murillo kept alive a set-piece. Yates had a shot blocked, but the Serbian defender Milenkovic feasted on the leftovers.

Forest then went for the jugular, with Hudson-Odoi dinking a right-foot shot on to the crossbar before Sangaré sent an ambitious effort off target from 30 yards. It was one of those nights. The manager, aware of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton & Hove Albion, implemented multiple alterations from the team that surprised the Reds at their ground recently, when they additionally netted three goals, though he called on Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and further fresh legs during the final period.

Smooth Evening for the Team

It proved a flawless night for Forest. The coach could withdraw Murillo with the match long since sewn up and later brought on 19-year-old full-back Jimmy Sinclair for his senior bow. He discussed the club legends providing “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, nearly fifty years on, the present squad showed they are capable of producing of excitement, as well.