Excitement is growing within the Nottingham Forest fanbase as the Europa League draw edges closer, with a potential repeat of one of the club’s most famous nights on the cards.
Forest claimed a place in the Europa League after Crystal Palace were punished for breaching UEFA’s multi-club ownership rules, setting up an even more exciting season of European football for the Reds.
Following the Palace decision, Evangelos Marinakis invested significantly in the Forest squad with the likes of Douglas Luiz and Omari Hutchinson bolstering Nuno Espírito Santo’s options to compete domestically and continentally.
Therefore, the Reds will hope to make a deep run into the competition, but one potential tie may arise that would have significance away from progressing in the Europa League itself.
Nottingham Forest could recreate the 1979 European Cup final
This season is Forest’s first in UEFA competition for 30 years, but the extended absence from the continental stage hasn’t impacted the club’s famous history.
Under Brian Clough, Forest won consecutive European Cups in 1979 and 1980, an achievement that hasn’t been matched by an English club since.
The maiden triumph in 1979 saw Clough’s side beat Swedish giants Malmö in Munich and now, 46 years later, the two sides are 90 minutes away from setting up a chance at a remarkable round two.
Malmö travel to face Czech side Sigma Olomouc in the second leg of their Europa League play-off on Thursday, carrying a 3-0 win from Sweden.
Therefore, if Malmö are able to hold on to their comfortable lead, there’s a chance that the 1979 final could be recreated, a game that Clough’s side went into with a unique preparation process.
How Nottingham Forest prepared to face Malmö in 1979
Given it was the club’s first European final, tensions must’ve been high in the Forest camp, but star striker Trevor Francis revealed that Clough’s approach to the game didn’t reflect this expected tension.
Francis said: “We knew they [Malmö] were from Sweden, and that was about it! I don’t say that flippantly. At Nottingham Forest, we never really discussed the opposition, regardless of who they were. In fact, in my time there, we only ever discussed two players that I can remember.
“[…] We didn’t train on the day. We went down to the Olympic Stadium to look around on the morning of the game and that’s when he sat us down on the running track and told us the 11 starters.
“We went back to the team hotel, had lunch and then rested. Then we got down to the stadium an hour before the kick-off. That was done purposely of course, not to get us there too early as he didn’t want us losing our focus.
“He wanted us firmly focused on what was ahead because obviously, for him, it was all about work, and that’s how it should be.”
Times have changed and if Forest do face Malmö this season, Espírito Santo and his analysts will be well aware of their strengths and weaknesses, but it’s still fascinating to hear about the buildup to one of the club’s most famous days.
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