“You’ll never sing that, champions of Europe,” echoed through the stadium as Nottingham Forest fans celebrated another win against their Swedish opponents. Much has happened since Trevor Francis’s decisive header secured the European Cup in the year 1979, but the club continue to hold dear those glorious moments. Equally, major shifts have taken place in the weeks since Sean Dyche assumed control, with the team appearing refreshed and securing a convincing victory thanks to goals from Kalimuendo, Yates, and Nikola Milenkovic, enhancing their hopes of advancing in the European competition.
For Nottingham Forest, this performance – against a Swedish side that had not played for almost three weeks after finishing sixth in their domestic league – marked a third straight win across all competitions and added to the positive energy generated from last weekend’s success at Liverpool. While this fixture was a reminder of the club's historic triumph in spirit, the encounter itself was free of any significant tension or nerves.
This was an occasion filled with nostalgia, an longed-for meeting and the third competitive clash between the teams since the European Cup final 46 years ago.
Forest leaned into the history, honoring the heroes of that era by giving them, along with their Malmö counterparts, the VIP welcome. Thirteen members of the Swedish club’s team from that time were additionally present. The two clubs shared a dinner together before the match. Forest legends and company received a rousing welcome when they gathered on the pitch a quarter of an hour before kick-off, and a typically impressive display was unveiled in the Trent End.
“30th May 1979, John Robertson delivered the ball from the left,” read half of a giant banner, in block capitals. While no one needed reminding of what ensued, the remaining section was revealed as the players emerged from the tunnel. “There is Francis,” it continued. Another brilliant tifo showed Clough observing proceedings beside his right-hand man Taylor on a bench at the Munich stadium.
So, Forest had soaked up those beautiful recollections, but what about the showing on the evening? It was strong, too. They were in complete control from the moment the forward whistled an effort off target inside two minutes and built a 2-0 advantage by the break. Nicolás Domínguez sent an early header off target and then Zach Abbott, on his first European start, tried his luck.
It felt fitting that Yates, who joined Forest as an eight-year-old, made the initial breakthrough in the visitors' defence captained by their own homegrown captain, Jansson, formerly of Leeds and Brentford. The Forest defender Nikola Milenkovic saw a cross deflect off a defender and into the pathway of the midfielder, who finished with his right foot from the edge of the box to register his first goal since March.
The scorer was involved in Forest’s next goal on the verge of the interval, too, his unmarked header saved by the goalkeeper Ellborg but Kalimuendo on hand to convert the loose ball from close range. James McAtee, the playmaker given a rare start and only his second appearance since the autumn, was the spark, chipping a perfect ball towards Yates at the far post.
Just moments before, Callum Hudson-Odoi low effort was turned aside off the back Rösler, son of former Manchester City forward Uwe, and an free the defender also previously had a strong header smartly saved by Ellborg, who returned in place of the former Aston Villa goalkeeper Olsen.
This was Malmö’s initial game since the Swedish Allsvenskan ended on 9 November, and they struggled to match the home team's energy. The Reds made it 3-0 when Milenkovic applied the finishing touch after his defensive colleague Murillo headed back 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 effort on to the bar before Sangaré sent an optimistic shot wide from distance. It was that kind of nights. The manager, aware of Sunday’s domestic fixture here against Brighton & Hove Albion, implemented multiple alterations from the team that surprised Liverpool at Anfield recently, when they also netted three goals, though he called on substitutes and Igor Jesus during the final period.
It proved a hiccup-free night for Nottingham Forest. The coach could take off Murillo with the match long since boxed off and subsequently introduced teenage defender Sinclair for his senior bow. Dyche talked about the Forest old guard supplying “valuable insights” at regular meetings and, nearly fifty years on, the current crop showed they are capable of producing of thrills, as well.
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