Nottingham Forest fans will reminisce about the most memorable day in the club’s history when Malmö arrive on Trentside in the Europa League this week.
Back in 1979, Forest became European champions for the first time in history with a 1-0 victory over the Swedish outfit.
One year on from that night, Forest became two-time European champions with a win over Hamburg, but it was the game against Malmo that shaped history forever.
Forest proudly wear two stars on their shirts to this day, and this week’s game against the Swedish team offers a chance to head down memory lane.
Nottingham Forest beat Malmo in European Cup final
Critics like to suggest that Forest didn’t have to work hard for the European Cup back in 1979, with Malmö hardly a powerhouse of European football.
However, some context is definitely required.
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Back in 1979, the European Cup was a lot trickier to navigate than the Champions League is today, with only the champions entering, along with the winners from the previous year.
Forest were forced to face the 1978 winners, Liverpool, in round one, so whilst the final might have been an easier fixture, the rounds previous were not.
Clough’s men also overcame AEK Athens, Grasshopper Zurich and Cologne before meeting Malmo in the final.
Trevor Francis etched his name into folklore with the winning goal during the showpiece match, and afterwards, Clough went on the attack.
What Brian Clough said about Malmo after Forest beat them
Clough was constantly entertaining in his post-match discussions and there was no danger of him being anything different after claiming his biggest success.
After the game, he was quizzed on the defensive brilliance of his players and he dismissed any suggestions that Forest played a boring style of football against the Swedish champions.
What Brian Clough said after Nottingham Forest beat Malmo in 1979 to win the European Cup
Clough was on the charge once again the following year, with the manager overseeing another 1-0 win this time against Hamburg to claim the title for a second successive year.
Now, in 2025, Forest will reunite with Malmo and hopefully Sean Dyche can claim victory over the Swedes just like Clough did way back in 1979.
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