Raul Asencio’s problems away from the football pitch have now become an issue for Real Madrid, with the Spanish giants opening disciplinary proceedings against the young defender.
Coach Jose Mourinho confirmed the club’s decision on Thursday, making clear that Real Madrid expects its players to uphold the club’s reputation both on and off the field.
The 23-year-old centre-back was convicted last month of drink-driving after being found more than three times over Spain’s legal alcohol limit during an August 16 incident in Gran Canaria. A court in San Bartolome de Tirajana fined him €14,400 and suspended his driving licence for eight months, according to a court source.
But that is not the only legal matter facing the defender.
Asencio is also due in court in Gran Canaria this week over allegations surrounding the non-consensual sharing of a sexual video recorded in 2023. Three former Real Madrid reserve players are also standing trial in connection with allegations that they recorded and distributed the footage.
The trial is scheduled to take place on September 3, 4 and 7.
Spanish media have reported that Asencio expects to be cleared in the video-sharing case if the two young women featured in the footage, who were aged 16 and 18 at the time, formally forgive him.
Mourinho acknowledged Asencio’s qualities as a professional but said the latest developments were unacceptable for a Real Madrid player.
“He’s a model professional,” Mourinho told reporters, praising the defender’s work ethic even while injured.
However, the coach stressed that representing Real Madrid comes with responsibilities that extend beyond matchdays.
“Everything you do outside the pitch represents Real Madrid and could affect the club’s prestige,” he said.
Mourinho added that while mistakes can happen, repeated incidents create a different situation.
Asencio has been sidelined since suffering a hamstring injury in July and has yet to make Mourinho’s matchday squad. Before his injury, however, he had become a regular part of Real Madrid’s first-team setup during the previous two seasons.
His immediate future on the pitch is therefore already complicated by injury. Now, with disciplinary proceedings underway and another court case pending, the defender faces pressure away from football as well.
For Real Madrid, the situation is no longer simply a private matter involving one of its players. The club has made clear that Asencio’s conduct is now being formally examined, adding another layer of uncertainty to the young defender’s season.
