Lays of the Weekend: Chievo to derail Roma's run

Francesco Totti may have his head in his hands come Sunday

Christian Crowther takes a look across the continent to pick out three lays for the weekend's action...

Lay Werder Bremen to beat Nurnberg @ 1.9110/11
Since winning the Bundesliga title back in 2003/04, Werder Bremen have gradually slipped into mid-table obscurity in Germany's top division. Last season, they finished ninth and the season before that even flirted with relegation before steering themselves to safety. Werder are again enduring a topsy-turvy campaign in 2012/13 and are yet to string together successive wins. Next up is Nurnberg, a game that they would fancy on paper against a team positioned one place below them. However, closer inspection of the form guide suggest that their visitors are in the midst of an upward curve - winning two of their last three, with their only defeat in five a narrow 1-0 loss away at second-placed Bayer Leverkusen. Werder have lost two from their last three and visitors Nuremberg have also triumphed at their stadium in the last two seasons.  

Lay Celta Vigo to beat Real Betis @ 2.0811/10
Celta Vigo added to Jose Mourinho's growing list of woes at Real Madrid by inflicting a shock defeat over Los Blancos in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday. However, winning games on a consistent basis in La Liga is a feat Celta have certainly not mastered on their return. They haven't strung together successive wins in the Spanish top flight and have only triumphed in three of their seven home games to date. After unbeaten Barcelona, whom Real Betis only just succumbed to in their last league match, the Andalusian visitors have the joint-second best away record in La Liga, picking up four wins and a draw from their seven road assignments this campaign. Betis were also on a three-match winning streak, including victory over Real Madrid, before Barcelona stopped them. Their last four league meetings with Celta have produced 1-1 draws. 

Lay Roma to win at Chievo @ 1.981/1
With odds like this for an away win, it's too tempting not to lay in-form Roma at Chievo, who are in the best moment of their season following successive wins for the first time. Their habit of drawing at home - three of their last five have ended in parity - could play a part here and successive away wins will have certainly bolstered belief that they can get something against the capital club.  A closer examination of Roma's propulsion up the Serie A table also reveals that the hot streak owes much to wins over three of the bottom six. The last two editions of this fixture produced draws.