Real Madrid defender Raul Asencio has been acquitted of alleged involvement in the recording and distribution of a sexually explicit video involving a minor, bringing an end to a lengthy legal case that had subjected the 23-year-old to intense public scrutiny.
A court in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, cleared Asencio after months of investigation, speculation and judicial proceedings. The verdict allows the defender to close one of the most difficult chapters of his life, although a separate legal issue means his troubles away from football are not yet over.
Asencio is also facing disciplinary proceedings at Real Madrid after being convicted of drink-driving in an unrelated incident in Gran Canaria. He was fined and had his driving licence suspended for eight months after being found to be more than three times over the legal limit.
Charges withdrawn in sex-video case
The case involving Asencio centred on the recording and dissemination of a sexually explicit video linked to an intimate encounter at a beach club in Gran Canaria in June 2023.
Following the court proceedings, the charges against Asencio were withdrawn and he was acquitted of the alleged offence.
Three other defendants, who had previously been team-mates of Asencio at the Real Madrid academy, were convicted. They each received one-year suspended prison sentences for child pornography and were ordered to complete a sexual re-education course.
The three men were also given two-year restraining orders preventing contact with the victims. In addition, they were banned for three years from working in any profession involving minors.
The court imposed the minimum sentences after the victims, a 16-year-old girl and an 18-year-old woman, forgave the defendants.
For Asencio, the judgment marked the end of a legal battle he had described as extremely difficult for both himself and his family. In a statement after the verdict, he expressed relief at having finally been acquitted and said the judicial process had ultimately established the truth.
The ruling also gives the defender the opportunity to continue his efforts to establish himself at one of the biggest clubs in world football without the allegations hanging over him.
Drink-driving conviction remains separate issue
The acquittal does not resolve the separate disciplinary matter involving Asencio’s drink-driving conviction.
That incident took place on 16 August in Gran Canaria. As well as the fine and eight-month driving ban, it prompted Real Madrid to open disciplinary proceedings against the player.
The club’s manager, Jose Mourinho, said he had spoken to Asencio about the matter but did not intend to discuss issues outside the club’s training ground in detail. Mourinho praised the defender’s professionalism in training and his commitment to recovering from injury, while making clear that representing Real Madrid carries responsibilities beyond matches and training sessions.
“A Real Madrid player is a Real Madrid player,” Mourinho said.
The manager’s comments underlined the club’s view that a player’s conduct away from football can still affect his responsibilities as a Real Madrid representative.
Asencio has accepted responsibility for the drink-driving offence in his own statement. He acknowledged what had happened and addressed the consequences of the conviction, which remains unrelated to the sex-video case from which he has now been cleared.
Asencio looks to move forward
The defender’s immediate priority is to return his focus to football after months of extraordinary scrutiny.
His name had been linked to a serious criminal investigation before the court cleared him of the alleged offence. With that case now concluded, he can turn his attention back to his career at Real Madrid, although the club’s disciplinary process is still ongoing.
The drink-driving conviction means Asencio continues to face consequences away from the pitch, and Mourinho has made clear that wearing the Real Madrid shirt brings constant responsibility.
Asencio, meanwhile, has indicated that he wants the controversies to end.
“I want to close this chapter with respect, with my head held high and with a great desire to move forward.”
After a prolonged wait for the court’s decision, Asencio has received the acquittal he had been hoping for, even as he works to deal with the separate matter involving his conduct while driving.