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“Champions of Europe, you’ll never sing that,” rang out through the stadium as Forest followers reveled in another success against Malmö. Much has happened since Trevor Francis’s winning header secured the continental trophy back in the year 1979, but Forest still treasure those memories. Similarly, major shifts have taken place in the five weeks since the manager assumed control, with the team looking reinvigorated and earning a convincing win thanks to goals from Arnaud Kalimuendo, Yates, and Milenkovic, enhancing their prospects of progressing in the European competition.

Building Steam with Another Straight Win

For Forest, this performance – against a Swedish side that had been inactive for almost three weeks after finishing sixth in their domestic league – marked a third straight win across every tournament and added to the momentum gained from the previous week's success at Anfield. While this match was a reminder of the club's historic success in spirit, the encounter itself was devoid of any significant jeopardy or jitters.

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

The home side fully embraced the heritage, honoring the heroes of 1979 by giving them, along with their Malmö counterparts, the VIP welcome. 13 members of the Malmö's squad from then were additionally in attendance. Both teams enjoyed a dinner together prior to the kick-off. Frank Clark, Colin Barrett and company received a tumultuous welcome when they gathered on the field a quarter of an hour before kick-off, and a characteristically impressive display was unveiled in the home stand.

Recalling the Past

“30th May 1979, Robertson crossed it in from the left,” read one part of a large tifo, in block capitals. While no one required a reminder of what ensued, the remaining section was unfurled as the players came out from the dressing rooms. “There is Francis,” it stated. Another brilliant display showed Clough observing events beside his assistant Taylor on a dugout at the Olympiastadion.

Control from the Start

So, the hosts had drunk in those wonderful recollections, but what about the showing on the evening? It was pretty good, too. They were in complete control from the moment Kalimuendo whistled an attempt wide inside two minutes and built a two-goal lead by the half-time interval. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header wide and then Abbott, on his first European start, had a go.

It seemed appropriate that Ryan Yates, who joined the club aged eight, made the initial breakthrough in the Malmö defence captained by their own academy product skipper, Jansson, previously of Leeds United and Brentford. The home centre-back Milenkovic saw a delivery deflect off a defender and into the pathway of the midfielder, who swept home right-footed from the edge of the penalty area to score his maiden strike since last March.

Another Strike Confirms Control

Yates was implicated in the team's next goal on the brink of the interval, too, his free header parried by the shot-stopper Ellborg but Kalimuendo on hand to convert the loose ball from close range. McAtee, the playmaker given a rare start and only his second outing since the autumn, was the catalyst, lofting a perfect ball towards his teammate at the far post.

A minute earlier, Hudson-Odoi’s low effort was turned aside off Malmö defender Rösler, the son of ex- Man City striker Uwe Rösler, and an free Milenkovic had previously had a strong header instinctively saved by Ellborg, who was back in place of the former Aston Villa goalie Olsen.

Malmö’s Difficulties

This was Malmö’s initial game 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 the defender applied the finishing touch after his defensive colleague Murillo kept alive a set-piece. Yates had a shot blocked, but the Serbian defender Milenkovic pounced on the leftovers.

The home side then went for the jugular, with Hudson-Odoi dinking a right-foot shot on to the bar before Ibrahim Sangaré sent an ambitious shot wide from distance. It was that kind of evenings. The manager, aware of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton & Hove Albion, implemented multiple alterations from the side that surprised the Reds at Anfield recently, when they also netted three times, though he introduced Elliot Anderson, Dan Ndoye and further fresh legs during the final period.

Hiccup-Free Night for the Team

It proved a hiccup-free night for Forest. The coach could withdraw Murillo with the game already boxed off and subsequently brought on teenage full-back Sinclair for his first-team debut. He discussed the Forest old guard supplying “valuable insights” at weekly get-togethers and, nearly fifty years on, the current crop showed they are able of producing of thrills, as well.