Raul Asencio Acquitted in Explicit Video Case: Real Madrid Faces Drink-Driving Fallout

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 line under one of the most serious accusations faced by the young Real Madrid defender.

The 23-year-old was acquitted in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, with the court absolving him of the offence and withdrawing the charges against him. The case 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.

While Asencio walked free, three of his former team-mates from the Real Madrid academy did not. They were convicted of “child pornography” offences and handed one-year suspended prison sentences. The court also ordered them to attend a sexual “re-education” course, imposed a two-year restraining order preventing contact with the victims, and banned them for three years from any profession involving minors.

The outcome was shaped in part by the stance of the victims, two women aged 16 and 18 at the time of the incident, who forgave the accused. That forgiveness contributed to the court opting for minimum sentences for the three convicted players.

Asencio breaks his silence

For months, Asencio had stayed quiet in public as the case moved through the courts. Acquittal changed that.

“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 in a statement.

He described the strain of watching his name dragged through headlines before any ruling had been made.

“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.

“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.”

The defender made it clear he saw the verdict as a full vindication.

“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.”

A separate storm: drink‑driving in Gran Canaria

Just as one legal battle ended, another problem remained on his record.

In a separate case, Real Madrid have opened disciplinary proceedings against Asencio after he was convicted of drink‑driving, also in Gran Canaria. On 16 August, he 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.

The club did not brush it aside as a private matter. It became a disciplinary issue.

Head coach Jose Mourinho addressed the situation bluntly when asked about the defender.

“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.”

The message was clear: legal acquittal in one case does not erase responsibility in another.

Accountability and a second chance

Asencio did not try to minimise the drink‑driving offence. In the same statement in which he welcomed his acquittal, he confronted his mistake behind the wheel.

“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.”

He framed this period as a turning point rather than a lingering controversy.

“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 court, disciplined by his club, and under the watchful eye of Mourinho, Asencio now faces the part of the story no judge can write for him: what he does with the second chance he insists he has learned to value.