RONALDO'S DEBUT TO BE AIRED LIVE ON FACEBOOK

Cristiano Ronaldo's debut for Juventus is among a series of games from Serie A and Spain's La Liga to be broadcast for free on Facebook in the UK and Ireland this season. UK rights holders Eleven Sports announced yesterday that it had reached an agreement with the social media giant that will see at least one live match from both leagues broadcast every week on the network's own Facebook page. Five-time World Player of the Year Ronaldo will make his Serie A debut at Chievo on August 18 with Atletico Madrid's La Liga opener at Valencia two days later and Barcelona's visit to Valladolid on August 25 also among the matches scheduled for free-to-air viewing. "This partnership reflects our commitment to helping broadcasters reach new audiences, build their brands and deliver a great viewing experience for sports fans on Facebook," said Rhys Beer, Facebook's live sports programming lead for Europe, the Middle East and Africa.