Asencio Cleared in Video Case but Faces Real Madrid Disciplinary Actions
Asencio walked out of a Spanish courtroom on Thursday a free man in the eyes of the law, but far from free of problems at Real Madrid.
A court in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria acquitted the defender of charges relating to the non-consensual distribution of a sexually explicit video involving a woman and a 16-year-old girl, recorded at a Canary Islands beach club in June 2023. Prosecutors withdrew all allegations against him, and the judge signed off on the case.
The footage, filmed during a sexual encounter at the club, sat at the centre of the investigation. Asencio was never accused of recording it, only of allegedly sharing it. In the end, the case closed without a conviction for him.
His former Real Madrid youth teammates did not escape so lightly. Andrés García, Ferrán Ruiz and Juan Rodríguez all pleaded guilty. Each accepted a one-year suspended prison sentence, a two-year restraining order, and a three-year ban on working with minors.
The turning point came in court when the two young women featured in the video confirmed they had forgiven the players. A statement from the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria court outlined the resolution in stark legal terms: once the victims’ forgiveness was recorded and the Public Prosecutor’s Office withdrew charges against Asencio while reducing its sentencing requests for the other three, the judge issued a verdict by consent.
The court underlined that the ruling is final. All parties accepted the outcome and waived their right to appeal. Legally, the matter is closed.
On the pitch and inside Valdebebas, it is not.
Even as he was cleared in the video case, Asencio was hit by a separate conviction. On Wednesday, a Spanish court found him guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol. The punishment was immediate and concrete: an eight-month suspension of his driving licence and a €14,400 fine.
Real Madrid responded by opening internal disciplinary proceedings. The club has not yet announced any sporting sanctions, but the process is underway and hangs over his future.
José Mourinho, speaking on Thursday, did not hide the complexity of the situation. “While the proceeding is open I see him as a Real Madrid player,” the head coach said. He pointed to a more immediate, if temporary, shield from the storm: “He's injured and will continue to be sidelined for a couple of weeks. That helps me not to have to deal with this problem now.”
For now, injury keeps Asencio out of the spotlight on the pitch. He has not played this season due to a muscle problem and will remain unavailable in the short term. Since stepping up to the first team at the start of the 2024–2025 campaign, he has made 80 appearances in all competitions, scored two goals and lifted the FIFA Intercontinental Cup with Real Madrid.
The numbers are respectable for a defender trying to cement his place at one of the world’s most demanding clubs. But statistics will not decide what happens next.
When he finally returns to full fitness, Asencio will walk back into a dressing room and a club hierarchy weighing far more than his positional sense or aerial ability. The court has cleared his name in one case; Real Madrid’s internal verdict, and Mourinho’s trust, are still to come.
