Raul Asencio Acquitted in Explicit Video Case Amid Drink-Driving Issues
Raul Asencio has been cleared by a Spanish court of alleged involvement in the distribution of a sexually explicit video involving a minor, drawing a legal line under a case that has shadowed the Real Madrid defender for more than a year.
The 23-year-old was acquitted in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, where charges against him were formally withdrawn. The case centred on the recording and dissemination of an explicit video linked to an intimate encounter at a beach club in Gran Canaria in June 2023.
While Asencio walked free, three of his former team-mates from the Real Madrid academy were convicted. The court handed each of them a one-year suspended prison sentence for “child pornography” and ordered them to attend a sexual “re-education” course.
They also received a two-year restraining order preventing contact with the victims – two women aged 16 and 18 at the time – and a three-year ban from working in any profession involving minors. The sentences were set at the minimum after the victims forgave the accused.
Asencio: “I have been acquitted”
After months of silence, Asencio responded with a measured but pointed statement once the verdict was made public.
“Today, after a long period of silence and after respecting a judicial process in which I always had faith, I can say that I have been acquitted,” he said.
He spoke of the toll the case had taken on him and his family, and of watching his name debated before the court had ruled.
“Over these past months I have been through a difficult situation and, at times, I have had to see how information and opinions about me were published before justice had its say,” he said. “I understand and respect the work of the media and the right to report and express opinions, but I also believe it's important to remember that behind every piece of news there is a person and a family who live with the consequences of it.”
Asencio stressed his faith in the process and his desire to move on.
“I have always trusted that justice would eventually set things right. Today there is a judicial ruling that speaks for itself, and I accept it with peace of mind and with the satisfaction of being able to close a very important chapter in my life.”
Drink‑driving case keeps spotlight on defender
Legal relief in one courtroom does not mean Asencio’s off-field issues are over. In a separate matter, Real Madrid have opened disciplinary proceedings against the defender after a drink-driving conviction, also in Gran Canaria.
On 16 August, Asencio was found to be more than three times over the legal alcohol limit. The incident led to a fine and an eight-month suspension of his driving licence.
Inside the club, the matter has not been brushed aside. Asked about the conviction, Real Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho made clear his disapproval while acknowledging the player’s conduct at the training ground.
“Raul Asencio, given the situation he found himself in, I talked to him when he arrived and I talked to him about things that happened in the past,” Mourinho said. “I haven't talked with him since but I don't discuss situations outside Valdebebas.
“His attitude is perfect here. He picked up an injury a few weeks ago and since then, he is first to arrive and last to leave working on his recovery.
“But obviously a Real Madrid player is a Real Madrid player for 24 hours, seven days a week, 12 months a year, so when you do something outside your professional area, it's still Real Madrid and it hurts the club's prestige that is untouchable.
“So I am not happy. We all make errors but no, I'm not happy.”
Player accepts blame and looks ahead
Asencio did not attempt to soften his responsibility for the drink‑driving offence. In the same statement in which he welcomed his acquittal, he addressed the conviction head-on.
“I am deeply sorry for what happened and I fully accept my responsibility,” he said. “It has been an experience from which I have learned and I am very clear that it will not happen again.”
His message was not one of defiance but of closure.
“I don't want to get involved in controversies or look back. I want to close this chapter with respect, with my head held high and with a great desire to move forward. And I [am] absolutely in agreement with my coach: not only on the pitch, but also off it.”
Acquitted in one case, sanctioned in another, Asencio now stands at a crossroads: his name cleared in court, his club watching closely to see what kind of professional – and person – he chooses to be from here.
