Live-streaming platform Eleven Sports will make their portfolio of European football free to viewers in Scotland on the STV player this weekend as 14 matches from La Liga and Serie A – featuring Lionel Messi’s Barcelona at Atletico Madrid and Cristiano Ronaldo’s Juventus – will be made free-to-air on the TV channel’s online platforms.

From the Friday night fixture (23rd November) to Sunday evening’s clashes (25th), Eleven’s games will be available live and free to viewers in the region.

Indeed, this news kicks off a new partnership between Eleven and the Scottish broadcaster, as two matches from La Liga and Serie A will be available for free each week on the STV Player.

Eleven say that the partnership will underpin and enhance the digital growth strategy of both companies, in addition to exposing European football to a wider audience and perhaps helping to grow a new fanbase, STV Player wil be able to add new content to their OTT service.

Richard Young, Commercial Director, Eleven Sports UK, said: “Our free-to-air partnership with STV fits perfectly into Eleven’s ‘For the Fans’ strategy which aims to make leading football action more accessible for fans at an affordable price.

“STV has fantastic reach across Scotland and this collaboration is another way to drive awareness of our premium football offer to new and diverse audiences.

“Following our free-to-air partnership with Facebook, our inventive methods of distribution ensure we continue to reach fans everywhere while strengthening Eleven Sports’ position as a pioneer in the contemporary sports media landscape.”

Richard Williams, STV’s Managing Director, Digital, said: “We’re delighted to be partnering with Eleven Sports to bring our viewers free-to-air football featuring the likes of Messi and Ronaldo for the very first time on the STV Player.

“This partnership reinforces our commitment to be Scotland’s number one entertainment destination by offering a wider range of premium content to new audiences on the STV Player.”

This weekend, Eleven Sports will also be broadcasting Bundesliga football on Facebook in Portugal. The Iberian country is another area where the OTT broadacster has rights and reach, and also where it is providing free-to-air