Nottingham Forest vs Malmo: Betting Preview
27th November 2025
Nottingham Forest return to European action on Thursday night in a fixture steeped in history. Their clash with Swedish champions Malmö FF evokes memories of Brian Clough’s golden era, and with both sides sitting in the lower half of the Europa League table, this could prove to be a crucial turning point in the current campaign.
After an inconsistent start to the season, Forest will hope the City Ground atmosphere can inspire another statement performance following their impressive 3–0 victory over Liverpool at the weekend.
Malmö, meanwhile, are still searching for their first win of the league phase, having earned just a single point from their opening four matches. Their domestic campaign concluded earlier this month with a disappointing 6th-place finish, but the extended break may work in their favour. With fresh legs and more preparation time, they could pose a real challenge to a Forest side managing rotation during a demanding run of fixtures.
As the competition enters a decisive stage, the stakes are rising, and this matchup carries major implications for both teams.
Kick-off is Tuesday, November 26, at 20:00 GMT.
Read on for a look back at their previous meetings and some betting insights from Statz.
Forest vs Malmö: H2H (H stands for History)
This fixture is a repeat of the 1979 European Cup Final. That game was played in Munich at the Olympic Stadium, which had been used for the 1974 World Cup Final. Trevor Francis, the first million-pound footballer, scored the winning goal. Remarkably, it was his first European appearance for Forest after signing just before the quarter-finals in February. The match was tight and tense, but Nottingham Forest claimed their first European title — a success they repeated the following season under legendary manager Biran Clough.
The clubs have met since in Europe during the 1995/96 UEFA Cup First Round. Forest progressed on away goals in another close contest. Ian Woan, now part of the coaching staff, scored in the tie. Forest later reached the quarter-finals before losing to Bayern Munich. They were the best-performing Premier League team in the competition that year.
History sits firmly on Nottingham Forest’s side. Malmö, however, will arrive motivated and looking for revenge — adding extra edge to an already historic European clash.
Forest vs Malmö: Predictions
With Forest expected to rotate and missing key players Chris Wood and Morgan Gibbs-White, the home win at 2/9 (Bet365) doesn’t offer much value. However, Forest to win to nil at 5/6 (Bet365) looks more appealing based on recent trends.
Malmö have struggled in attack throughout their Europa League campaign so far. They lost their only away fixture so far — a 3–0 defeat to Viktoria Plzeň — and generated just 0.41 expected goals (xG) in that match. Even on home soil, goals have been scarce, with only two goals scored across their three home games.
Forest, meanwhile, have recorded back-to-back clean sheets in this competition since Sean Dyche’s arrival. With that defensive improvement and Malmö’s lack of threat going forward, the win-to-nil market remains the standout betting angle.
Forest vs Malmö: Statz Predictions
From a player betting angle, Nottingham Forest have been strong in the tackle markets across recent Europa League fixtures. Several players are consistently returning solid defensive numbers, which makes tackles worth considering for props. Marato, McAtee, Sangaré, Savona and Neco Williams have all recorded three or more tackles in recent matches, showing a clear trend in Forest’s aggressive approach under Sean Dyche.