Derby County XI set for friendly vs SC Freiburg as pre-season builds

Derby County’s XI locked in for Freiburg friendly

Derby County manager John Eustace has named an unchanged starting XI for this afternoon’s pre-season friendly against SC Freiburg at Velly Arena (3pm BST kick-off). The Rams face a 120-minute contest split into four 30-minute periods against the Bundesliga outfit, with the fixture concluding another positive week of pre-season work ahead of the 2026/27 Sky Bet Championship opener at Charlton Athletic on 15 August.

League standing (final 2025 table -- new season not yet under way): Derby finished 8th in the Championship with 69 points from 46 games (20 wins, 9 draws, 17 losses), with recent form reading LWLWL. They scored 67 goals and conceded 59, sitting 26 points behind league leaders Coventry.

Who’s in the starting XI?

Eustace’s side lines up with a familiar look, mirroring the XI that beat Alfreton Town last Friday. Bobby Clark and Joe Ward start after scoring in that Solana Stadium win, while Ryan Hedges continues as a trialist after training with the group all week in Austria. New signing Charlie Taylor and Ryan Nyambe are included in the matchday squad, with youngsters Owen Eames and Cruz Allen among the substitutes. Filip Bilbija, Sondre Langås and Jacob Widell Zetterström trained with the first team in recent days but will watch from the stands.

Derby County: Vickers (GK), Forsyth, Clarke, Clark, Morris, Johnston, Ward, Travis (C), Sanderson, Fraulo, Hedges.

Substitutes: O’Donnell (GK), Thompson, Taylor, Nyambe, Eames, Brown, T Gill, Allen, Smith, Canoville, Osayande, Harvey, Lukic.

Why this XI matters

The unchanged lineup reflects Eustace’s confidence in his core group after a strong opening week of pre-season. Clark and Ward’s goals against Alfreton showed sharpness up front, while Hedges’ trial continues after impressing in training. Taylor’s inclusion marks his first competitive outing since joining, with Nyambe adding depth at full-back. The extended squad gives youngsters like Eames and Allen minutes to stake claims for regular football.

What’s next for Derby County?

Today’s match caps a productive pre-season block in Austria, with Eustace prioritising squad depth before the Championship curtain-raiser at Charlton on 15 August. The Rams’ 120-minute format against Freiburg tests stamina and squad options, while the friendly serves as a final tune-up before league action resumes. Fans can watch live on RamsTV for £5, with the stream priced to keep costs low for early-season supporters.

The friendly also offers a chance to blood young talent like Eames and Allen, who feature on the bench. With Bilbija, Langås and Zetterström watching from the stands, Eustace keeps options open ahead of the league season’s first real test.