Asencio Acquitted in Video Case, Faces New Disciplinary Issues at Real Madrid

Asencio has been fully acquitted by a Spanish court of charges linked to the non-consensual distribution of a sexually explicit video involving a woman and a 16-year-old girl, drawing a firm legal line under a case that has hovered over his career for more than a year.

On Thursday in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the judge cleared the Real Madrid defender after prosecutors formally withdrew all allegations against him. The case revolved around a recorded sexual encounter at a Canary Islands beach club in June 2023, reported by ESPN as the central piece of evidence.

Asencio was never accused of filming the incident. The accusation focused on allegedly sharing the footage. While he walked away without a conviction, three of his former Real Madrid youth teammates did not.

• Andrés García, Ferrán Ruiz and Juan Rodríguez each pleaded guilty.
• All three accepted a one-year suspended prison sentence, a two-year restraining order, and a three-year ban on working with minors.

The proceedings wrapped up swiftly once the two young women in the video addressed the court and said they had forgiven the players. A statement from the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria court outlined how the case reached its conclusion:

"After hearing the victims confirm that they forgave the defendants and the report from the representative of the Public Prosecutor's Office withdrawing the charges against one of them and reducing the sentence sought for the other three, the judge handed down a verdict by consent in accordance with the prosecutor's report."

The court underlined the finality of the decision: "The ruling is final and definitively concludes the proceedings, as the parties have confirmed that they accept it and will not appeal."

Legal relief, but new trouble at Real Madrid

The legal victory does not mean Asencio’s off-field problems are over. While he no longer faces criminal action over the video, he is now dealing with internal disciplinary measures from Real Madrid after a separate incident.

On Wednesday, a Spanish court convicted the defender of driving under the influence of alcohol. The punishment was clear and immediate: an eight-month suspension of his driving licence and a €14,400 fine.

Real Madrid responded by opening their own disciplinary proceedings. The club has not yet announced any sporting sanctions, but the matter has already reached the first-team dressing room through head coach José Mourinho.

Speaking on Thursday, Mourinho drew a firm line between the ongoing process and his current squad planning.

"While the proceeding is open I see him as a Real Madrid player. 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 him out of the spotlight

Asencio has not played a single minute this season due to a muscle injury and will remain unavailable in the short term. The timing, as Mourinho hinted, shields the coach from immediate selection dilemmas while the club’s hierarchy decides how to handle the DUI conviction.

Since stepping up to the first team at the start of the 2024-2025 campaign, Asencio has made 80 appearances across all competitions, scoring two goals and lifting the FIFA Intercontinental Cup with Real Madrid. It is a respectable body of work for a defender still carving out his place at the Bernabéu.

Now, though, his future is about more than minutes and medals. Once he returns to full fitness, Asencio will not just be fighting for his spot in Mourinho’s back line. He will be fighting to regain trust inside a club that demands as much off the pitch as it does under the floodlights.