- James' 25/26 record: Staked 26.50pts | Returned 31.22pts | P/L +4.72pts | ROI 18%
Football betting tips: Serie A, Ligue 1
19:45 – Serie A: Udinese vs Cremonese
1pt Over 2.5 goals at 11/10 (bet365, BetVictor)
20:00 – Ligue 1: Lyon vs Lens
1pt Lyon to win at 3/4 (Betway)
20:00 – Ligue 1: Paris FC vs PSG
0.5pt Rudy Matondo (Paris FC) 1+ shot on target at 12/5 (bet365)
Udinese vs Cremonese
- Kick-off: Sunday, 19:45 BST
- TV: TNT Sports 1, DAZN, HBO Max
- Live odds, form and stats
We'r backing backs-against-the-wall Cremonese to be involved in a high-scoring game this weekend.
The Lombardy-based side head into Serie A’s penultimate matchday in the relegation zone: with only two games to go, they are 18th out of 20, one point behind 17th-placed Lecce, in a division where the bottom three go down.
Cremonese and Lecce are the only two sides that can be relegated alongside already-demoted duo Pisa and Verona. For Cremonese, with one point fewer on the board, the situation is dramatic: if they lose and Lecce win at Sassuolo – sensibly, the two games kick-off simultaneously on Sunday night – then Cremonese will be sent back down to Serie B just 12 months after promotion.
The season-long stats show that Cremonese are a weak attacking force: they have scored just 30 goals, which is Serie A’s fifth-lowest tally. It is debatable how much value long-term patterns have on a night like this, however: given the predicament they find themselves in, Cremonese have no choice but to take risks, so we expect a more adventurous style of play than they have employed for most of the campaign.
The recent return of Jamie Vardy could be key. He scored on his first start since mid-March in Cremonese’s 3-0 win over nine-man Pisa in their last fixture. With the former Leicester City man lined-up to partner nine-goal top scorer Federico Bonazzoli, Cremonese should be more dangerous than they have been for some time. Vardy is 23/10 (BetVictor) in the Anytime Goalscorer market, with Bonazzoli 9/4 (bet365, Sky Bet).
Udinese (10th) have nothing to play for. Free-wheeling towards the end of the season suits them: they are W3-D2-L0 from their last five fixtures, scoring 10 times.
Under no pressure, and turning out in front of their own fans one last time in 2025-26, Udinese are more likely to attack than defend. That, plus Cremonese’s need for points, and the threat the visitors' front two will pose, makes OVER 2.5 GOALS the pick.
Lyon vs Lens
- Kick-off: Sunday, 20:00 BST
- TV: Amazon Prime PPV
- Live odds, form and stats
A significant difference in motivation makes Lyon a strong selection on Ligue 1’s final matchday.
All nine games kick-off at the same time in France’s top flight on Sunday night. Lyon lie fourth in the table, a position that would earn them a place in next season’s Champions League qualifiers. Their goal is to finish third so that they gain direct entry to the league phase.
To do that, they must win, and then hope Lille – the team one point and one place above them – drop points in their home fixture vs Auxerre. Lyon manager Paulo Fonseca will have his players pumped-up in the right way for a game where so much is at stake.
For Lens, nothing is at stake. They are already assured of finishing as runners-up in the standings, regardless of what happens here. And, as soon as the final whistle blew on their rearranged midweek home fixture vs PSG – which they lost 2-0 – their attention turned towards next Friday’s French Cup Final, where they face Nice.
There is a reasonable chance that Lens manager Pierre Sage will rest some of his better players this weekend in order to keep them fresh for the imminent Stade de France showdown. And, whoever starts for Lens, will they really do more than go through the motions?
Lyon are only two places and 7pts behind Lens in the Ligue 1 table anyway, with much better home form (W12-D1-L3) than Lens have away form (W7-D4-L5). Throw in the motivation factor, and a LYON WIN becomes the selection.
Paris FC vs PSG
- Kick-off: Sunday, 20:00 BST
- TV: Amazon Prime PPV
- Live odds, form and stats
The all-Paris affair at Stade Jean Bouin on Sunday night offers one young midfielder an opportunity to showcase his talents.
Paris FC’s Rudy Matondo was a mid-season arrival from Ligue 1 Auxerre. The reported fee of £14 million may have seemed steep for a player who only turned 18 in March, but he has played so well since moving to the capital that Paris FC’s outlay is likely to prove a bargain in the long-term.
It's recommend to take a look at Matondo in the Shots markets. An energetic midfielder, he has looked at his best when granted the freedom to roam into advanced positions, with or without the ball.
Matondo has made seven starts in Paris FC colours. He has had an attempt on goal in five of those matches (nine attempts in total). He has managed at least one shot on target in three of his seven starts (five shots on target in total).
Growing in confidence, he has got better as the games have gone on. In his last home outing, he scored twice (from three shots on target) in Paris FC’s 4-0 win vs Brest. He has now had at least one shot on target in two of his last three starts.
Matondo is a best-priced 8/13 (bet365) in the 1+ Shots market. Given how accurate he has been recently, the 12/5 (bet365) on MATONDO 1+ SHOT ON TARGET looks solid value.
Odds correct at 17:00 BST (15/05/26)
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