Raúl Asencio Returns to Real Madrid Squad Against Rayo Vallecano
José Mourinho has named his Real Madrid squad for Saturday’s league meeting with Rayo Vallecano, and one name instantly jumps off the page: Raúl Asencio is back.
The young Spanish defender returns after more than a month on the sidelines, finally cleared following a complicated muscular problem in the rectus femoris and a subsequent setback in his shin. He has yet to play a single minute under Mourinho, but this week he trained fully with the group and convinced the staff he is ready to rejoin the fight.
For Mourinho, the timing could hardly be better. The calendar is starting to bite, with a heavy run of league fixtures and midweek games piling up. An extra centre-back option is not a luxury; it is a necessity.
Asencio back from injury – and from a stormy summer
Asencio’s comeback closes a turbulent chapter in his young career. At the start of the summer, he looked closer to the exit door than the starting XI, with a move away from the club looming before injury froze any talks over his future.
Off the pitch, the spotlight burned just as fiercely. In recent days, Asencio learned he had been acquitted in the case linked to a video in which he appeared. At the same time, a court found him guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol on the island of Gran Canaria last August.
Mourinho did not hide his frustration. The coach publicly reminded his player of the standards required at Real Madrid, warning: “A Real Madrid player remains a Real Madrid player 24 hours a day. What you do outside the club can harm your reputation and the club's reputation, and I am not happy.”
Now the noise around him quietens. Fit again, cleared to play and with the legal process largely settled, Asencio’s focus swings back to the pitch. He knows the next few weeks offer a chance to repair his image the way footballers know best: by performing.
Key absences and a powerful squad
While Asencio returns, Mourinho must cope without three important names. Éder Militão, Ferland Mendy and Rodrygo all miss out on the squad for the Rayo clash, trimming his options in defence and attack.
Even so, the list he sends into Vallecas underlines the depth at his disposal.
Real Madrid squad vs Rayo Vallecano
- Goalkeepers: Courtois, Lunin, Sergio Mestre.
- Defence: Asencio, Huijsen, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Konaté, Cucurella, Carreras, Rüdiger, Dumfries.
- Midfield: Bellingham, Camavinga, Valverde, Tchouaméni, Arda Güler, Bernardo Silva, Thiago Pitarch.
- Attack: Vinícius, Endrick, Mbappé, Espí, Brahim Díaz, Diomandé.
With a packed schedule and places in the hierarchy still up for grabs, Asencio steps back into a dressing room loaded with stars and competition. The question now is simple: after a chaotic summer and a long wait, can he turn a recall into a real role at Real Madrid?
