LONDON (AP):

CROATIA HAVE the chance to prove the form that brought them qualification for this year's European Championship was no fluke when they host the Netherlands in a friendly today.

Croatia eliminated England to win their qualifying group, but now have what could be an even bigger test in one of several matches scheduled for today to help coaches and players prepare for the June 7-29 tournament in Austria and Switzerland.

Italy host Portugal, Spain host France and Turkey host Sweden, with teams seeking a strong challenge to emulate the ones they will face later this year.

With only Russia of the 16 qualified teams not in action, there are six meetings between Euro 2008 contenders, with the match in Split one of the most attractive.

"The match against the Nether-lands will not be just an ordinary friendly," Croatia midfielder Luka Modric said. "The Netherlands are among the best teams in the world. It will be a great test. They will show us where we stand right now."

The latest evidence suggests that Croatia's young side could be a strong contender for the title after finishing ahead of England and a re-emerging Russia in qualifying.

With the likes of Arsenal striker Eduardo da Silva, Niko Kranjcar and Modric in the side, Croatia could trouble a Netherlands team that seems to be struggling to live up to the standards set by its illustrious predecessors.

Modric, the 22-year-old Dinamo Zagreb playmaker, was outstanding in qualifying and is looking to keep using his country's internationals as a stage from which to engineer a transfer.

Ready for big league

"My goal is to move to a bigger club during the summer and into one of the world's best leagues," Modric said. "I am ready to play in any of the five best leagues, but I am most attracted to Spain, especially Barcelona.

"I am honoured that they are interested in me."

Netherlands coach Marco van Basten, who is set to step down after the European Championship, is grappling with a change of tactics and how to accommodate the attacking talents of Ryan Babel and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.

With just one striker's position in his now-favoured 4-2-3-1 formation, van Basten dropped out-of-form Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt in favour of likely substitute Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink and could play Babel on the wing.

The result today is secondary to the practice for van Basten.

Final mission

"We are now preparing for the final mission," he said. "The friendly matches like this against Croatia are to practise and prepare, but at the European Championship we will go for the main prize."

Italy play Portugal in Zurich, with Udinese pair Antonio Di Natale and Fabio Quagliarella likely to lead the Italian attack at the same stadium at which Italy will play two of three first-round Euro 2008 matches.

Di Natale and Quagliarella are two of four Napoli-born strikers in coach Roberto Donadoni's squad, with a third - Marco Borriello - in with a chance of becoming the first Genoa player to play for Italy in 17 years.

"It would be fantastic to play, even if just for a few minutes," Borriello said.

Co-hosts Austria host Germany, who will have midfielder Michael Ballack back for the first time since March after he recovered from two ankle operations.

"Naturally, it's something special to return after such a long time," Ballack said. "I'm very happy and have extra motivation."

Switzerland are at England, who are set for their first idle off-season since missing the 1994 World Cup.

England, though, will still be expected to win at Wembley when they play under coach Fabio Capello for the first time.

While the Czech Republic play Poland, defending European champions Greece face Finland and Romania are at Israel, there are several more friendly matches in Europe involving sides that failed to qualify for the European Championship.

Slovenia play Denmark, Cyprus meet Ukraine and Ireland host five-time World Cup champions Brazil in Dublin.

Ireland are still without a coach after they fired Steve Staunton in November, with a successor from a shortlist rumored to contain Giovanni Trapattoni and Terry Venables unlikely to be announced until after the game.

Under-21 coach Don Givens will lead Ireland his task could be made slightly easier by the absence of Brazil stars Kaka and Ronaldinho because of injury.

"We've got three games maximum before the World Cup (qualifying) starts and we should have a manager," Givens said. "We don't and it's bad."