Real Madrid defender Raul Asencio was acquitted on Monday by a court in Gran Canaria, Spain, of charges related to sharing a sexually explicit video without the victims' consent [1, 2]. The case involved a video recorded at a beach club in Gran Canaria in June 2023 showing an intimate encounter involving two victims aged 16 and 18 [3].
Three other former Real Madrid youth players were convicted for recording and distributing the videos. Each received a one-year prison sentence, suspended on the condition of no further offenses, and must attend a sexual "re-education" course. They also face a two-year restraining order and a three-year ban from working with minors [1, 3, 2].
The charges against Asencio were dropped following the victims' forgiveness. In a statement, Asencio said, "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 the satisfaction of being able to close a very important chapter in my life" [1, 3, 2].
Aside from the court case, Asencio was separately fined €14,400 and banned from driving for eight months after a drink-driving incident in Gran Canaria in August 2023 [1, 3, 2]. Real Madrid has opened disciplinary proceedings against him for that conviction. Coach José Mourinho acknowledged the situation while emphasizing the impact on the club's reputation, saying, "Everything you do outside your professional sphere still reflects on Real Madrid and continues to damage the reputation of a club whose standing must not be undermined. I'm not happy. Everyone makes mistakes, but a series of mistakes is something different" [1, 2].
Asencio has not appeared in matches this season due to an injury expected to sideline him for a few more weeks [1, 2]. The disciplinary process related to his drink-driving case remains ongoing within the club as of today [1, 2].
