Asencio Cleared in Video Case but Faces Disciplinary Actions at Real Madrid
A Spanish court has acquitted Real Madrid defender Asencio of all charges relating to the non-consensual distribution of a sexually explicit video, drawing a legal line under a case that has shadowed his young career for more than a year.
On Thursday in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, prosecutors formally withdrew all allegations against Asencio, leading the judge to clear him. The case revolved around a recorded sexual encounter at a Canary Islands beach club in June 2023 involving a woman and a 16-year-old girl, according to ESPN.
Asencio was never accused of filming the incident. The accusation centred on the alleged sharing of the footage. While he walked free, three of his former Real Madrid youth teammates did not.
- Andrés García, Ferrán Ruiz and Juan Rodríguez all pleaded guilty.
- Each accepted a one-year suspended prison sentence, a two-year restraining order, and a three-year ban on working with minors.
The turning point came in the courtroom itself. The two young women who appeared in the video told the judge they had forgiven the players. That testimony opened the door for a negotiated outcome.
A statement from the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria court laid out how the case closed: after hearing the victims confirm their forgiveness and the Public Prosecutor’s Office withdraw charges against Asencio while reducing the sentences sought for the other three, the judge issued what was described as a “verdict by consent” in line with the prosecutor’s report.
The court underlined the finality of the decision, stressing that the ruling is definitive and that all parties have accepted it without appeal. Legally, Asencio walks away. The file is closed.
His problems, though, are not.
Separate from the video case, Asencio is now under internal disciplinary investigation at Real Madrid after a traffic offence. On Wednesday, a Spanish court convicted him of driving under the influence of alcohol. The punishment was stark: an eight‑month driving licence suspension and a €14,400 fine.
Real Madrid responded quickly, opening their own disciplinary proceedings. It drops another layer of uncertainty onto a player already out of action with a muscle injury.
José Mourinho's Response
Head coach José Mourinho addressed the situation on Thursday, drawing a clear line between the legal process and his immediate squad decisions. “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,” he said.
For now, injury keeps Asencio away from the pitch and, indirectly, out of Mourinho’s matchday dilemmas. He has not played this season and will remain unavailable in the short term.
Since stepping up to the first team at the start of the 2024–2025 campaign, the defender has made 80 appearances in all competitions, scored twice, and lifted the FIFA Intercontinental Cup with Real Madrid. It is a solid foundation, but suddenly feels distant.
When he finally returns to full fitness, the challenge will be very different from his debut season. The court has cleared his name in the video case, yet the dressing room, the stands and the club hierarchy may prove a far harder jury.
