- James' 26/27 record: Staked 9pts | Returned 13.02pts | P/L +4.02pts | ROI 45%
Football betting tips: Ligue 1, Serie A
19:45 – Ligue 1: Marseille vs Paris FC
1pt Ilan Kebbal (Paris FC) 1+ shot on target at 21/20 (Coral, Ladbrokes)
19:45 – Serie A: Juventus vs Milan
1pt the Draw at 12/5 (Betfred)
Marseille vs Paris FC
- Kick-off: Sunday, 19:45 BST
- TV: Amazon Prime PPV
- Live odds, form and stats
Can a team that gets considerably weaker during the transfer window end up stronger? Ensuring the answer to this particular teaser is yes is the challenge facing new Marseille manager Bruno Genesio this season.
Close to flat broke, Marseille had to raise funds via a fire sale over the summer, and so they did: half-a-dozen key players flew the nest, with the club spending precisely zero euros on new signings.
Shaped by austerity, the new-look ideal XI contains four players that were back-up squad members last season, and two others - right winger Amine Harit and playmaker Angel Gomes - that returned from loans abroad and were initially deemed surplus to requirements but have been retained instead.
Marseille were excellent in beating Strasbourg 4-0 (home) on matchday 1, but poor at Monaco last weekend (2-0 defeat). Such variance will become commonplace as Genesio sifts through his squad. In these uncertain times, the 4/5 (Betfred, Coral) on a Marseille win holds little appeal.
The player markets offer cannier alternatives. Igor Paixao will enjoy a hero’s welcome from the home fans after deciding to stay rather than move to the Premier League. The Brazilian winger will be itching to get out there and underline his status as one of Ligue 1's outstanding performers now that he knows his future lies with l’OM. He’s 11/5 (William Hill) in the anytime goalscorer market and 11/5 (Coral, Ladbrokes) in the 2+ shots on target market.
Our pick plays for opponents Paris FC. Look out for ILAN KEBBAL, one of the French top flight's top players on his day. He scored in this fixture last season - Marseille won 5-2 - and struck the post with a typical curling effort in Paris FC’s 0-0 draw at Troyes on matchday 1 a fortnight ago.
Born and raised in Marseille, Kebbal would love to shine in front of 63,000 fans at a throbbing Stade Velodrome. He is 18/5 TO SCORE (William Hill) and 21/20 (Coral, Ladbrokes) in the 1+ PLAYER SHOTS ON TARGET market. The latter is our pick.
Juventus vs Milan
- Kick-off: Sunday, 19:45 BST
- TV: TNT Sports and DAZN
- Live odds, form and stats
What a fantastic game is in store when Juventus and Milan face-off in Turin on Sunday night.
This is an early chance for two re-shaped teams that have made terrific starts to the new campaign to test their title credentials and see if there is any chance they can challenge runaway favourites Inter for the Scudetto this season.
Under new manager Luciano Spalletti, Juventus have begun with back-to-back victories. They won 1-0 at promoted Frosinone on the opening matchday, following up with an equally comfortable 2-0 triumph at home vs Parma last weekend.
Anything Juve can do, Milan can do, too: under their new manager Ruben Amorim, the Rossoneri won 2-1 at Torino on matchday 1, and made it six points from six at home to Venezia last Friday.
So far, so good… although the Serie A winner market suggests these two heavyweight clubs have some way to go to reach the level of defending champions Inter.
The title holders are a best-priced 21/20 (Coral, Ladbrokes) to retain the prize, while Juventus and Milan are some way back at 7/1 each with the same firms.
The parity between the pair among the outright prices is a useful pointer for this weekend’s game.
There has been nothing to choose between the teams in terms of performances or results on those opening two matchdays, suggesting a close encounter is likely this weekend.
Juventus to win looks too short to us at 11/10, and we are not yet confident that an AC Milan (12/5) that are a work in progress can win away from home vs top-four rivals.
THE DRAW is often overlooked in the 1X2 market, yet there are times when it provides the smartest opportunity. These two line-ups are well-matched, and both sets of players would be satisfied marching off the pitch with a point.
The 12/5 price (Betfred) on the draw is the market’s way of saying there is a 29% chance that the game ends with spoils shared. We think the chances of a stalemate are bigger than that, so this is our top selection.
Odds correct at 15:30 BST (04/09/26)
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