Croatia initiates their pre-European Championship preparations with a friendly clash against North Macedonia, serving as the first of two scheduled matches. Croatia, having exited the Euro 2020 at the Round of 16 stage, aims to achieve a deeper run in the tournament this time. Manager Zlatko Dalic has assembled a preliminary squad of 35 players, which will be trimmed down to 26 in the coming weeks, providing an opportunity to assess the team's composition ahead of the tournament.

Despite missing key player Luka Modric due to his Champions League final commitments, Croatia looks forward to showcasing a blend of experienced and emerging talents. Manchester City's Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic seek redemption after their FA Cup final defeat. Meanwhile, North Macedonia, although not qualifying for the Euros, secured an admirable draw against England in their last fixture.

Croatia enters the friendly on the back of a promising run, winning three of their last four matches. With notable goal scorers like Ante Budimir and Andrej Kramaric, Croatia anticipates exploiting North Macedonia's leaky defense, which has failed to keep a clean sheet in six consecutive games. The historical encounters between these nations have predominantly favored Croatia, with North Macedonia registering only one victory, back in Euro 2008 qualifying.

However, Croatia will have to navigate this friendly without the services of Modric and Mario Pasalic, engaged in club commitments. Premier League stars Kovacic and Gvardiol are set to feature prominently, alongside Aberdeen's Bojan Miovski and Bundesliga duo Elif Elmas and Darko Churlinov, under the captaincy of Enis Bardhi.

In their recent outings, Croatia clinched wins against Latvia and Armenia, showcasing their prowess. Meanwhile, North Macedonia endured mixed fortunes, highlighted by a commendable draw against England and a narrow loss to Montenegro. As both teams aim to fine-tune their strategies, Croatia seeks to maintain their winning momentum against North Macedonia.

Croatia is eager for a strong showing and a win as they set their sights on the impending Euros. Despite the absence of a few key players, we anticipate Croatia securing victory against a less formidable North Macedonia side.

Matchoutlook Prediction : Home Win (3-0)