José Mourinho Issues Warning to Raúl Asencio Over Conduct

José Mourinho has delivered a blunt reminder to his Real Madrid squad: wearing the white shirt is a “24-hour a day” job. The message was aimed squarely at Raúl Asencio, as the coach publicly called out the defender after his recent traffic offence.

On Wednesday, Gran Canaria's High Court of Justice confirmed that Asencio had been convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol in August. The 23-year-old, a Madrid player since his youth days in 2017, was stopped at a police checkpoint in Gran Canaria on August 16 and registered four times the legal alcohol limit in a breathalyzer test.

The punishment was heavy. Asencio was fined €14,400 ($16,700) and had his driving licence suspended for eight months. He has not played for Madrid this season due to injury, but now faces a battle that goes far beyond fitness.

“A Real Madrid Player Is a Real Madrid Player 24 Hours a Day”

Speaking ahead of Madrid’s trip to Real Betis on Friday, Mourinho did not hide his displeasure when asked about Asencio’s future.

“I spoke with him when I arrived,” Mourinho said. “I spoke with him about things from the past. Since I arrived ... I haven’t spoken to him since.

“At Valdebebas, I’d say he’s an exemplary professional. When he was fit, nobody trained harder or better than him. Now that he’s been injured for weeks, he’s the first to arrive and the last to leave. He’s extremely dedicated to his recovery.

“But a Real Madrid player is a Real Madrid player 24 hours a day. Seven days a week. And 12 months a year. Everything you do outside your professional life is still Real Madrid. It continues to damage the prestige of a club that is untouchable. That can’t be touched. And with that, I’m practically saying that ... I’m not happy.

“We all make mistakes. But accumulated mistakes ... That’s a different story."

The word “accumulated” hung in the air. Mourinho knew exactly what he was saying.

Pressed again on how the club would handle the situation, he confirmed that Real Madrid has “opened an investigation” into the matter.

Legal Cloud and “Accumulated Mistakes”

Those “accumulated mistakes” were not just about a night at a checkpoint.

On Thursday, Asencio was acquitted by a Spanish court of charges related to the distribution of sexual images of a woman and a minor without their consent. The case has shadowed both player and club in recent months.

Three of his former Real Madrid youth teammates — Andrés García, Ferrán Ruiz and Juan Rodríguez — accepted a one-year suspended jail sentence for distributing child pornography. Asencio walked free of criminal responsibility, but his name has been tied to a case that has deeply embarrassed the club.

That legal cloud has finally cleared. The sporting storm may just be starting.

Mourinho’s Defensive Puzzle

Mourinho now has a cold, football decision to make. Does Asencio still have a place in his plans?

On the pitch, the hierarchy is shifting. Dean Huijsen has nailed down a regular spot in Mourinho’s back four in the opening games of the season. Antonio Rüdiger and Ibrahima Konaté have shared the other centre-back role, offering experience, power and reliability.

Éder Militão is also working his way back and expected to return, while 19-year-old Mario Rivas impressed in preseason and has pushed his name into the conversation. The competition is fierce. The margin for error, tiny.

Asencio, still recovering, now carries more than just an injury record. He carries baggage. Mourinho has made it clear: at Real Madrid, character off the pitch weighs almost as heavily as performances on it.

With the club’s investigation underway and the coach drawing a hard line on “accumulated mistakes,” the question is no longer whether Asencio can get fit. It’s whether he will ever convince Mourinho he deserves another chance in the white shirt.