Asencio Acquitted in Video Case but Faces New Challenges at Real Madrid

Real Madrid defender Asencio has been fully acquitted by a Spanish court over the non-consensual distribution of a sexually explicit video involving a woman and a 16-year-old girl, drawing a legal line under a case that has hovered over his career since last year.

On Thursday in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the judge cleared Asencio after prosecutors withdrew all allegations against him. The case stemmed from a recorded sexual encounter at a Canary Islands beach club in June 2023, according to ESPN. Asencio was never accused of filming the incident, but he had been charged with allegedly sharing the footage.

Three of his former Real Madrid youth teammates – Andrés García, Ferrán Ruiz and Juan Rodríguez – took a different path. They pleaded guilty and accepted a one-year suspended prison sentence, a two-year restraining order, and a three-year ban on working with minors.

The turning point in court came when the two young women in the video addressed the judge and confirmed they had forgiven the players. The court then issued a consent ruling that wrapped up the case in a single stroke.

A statement from the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria court laid out the outcome: “After hearing the victims confirm that they forgave the defendants and the report from the representative of the Public Prosecutor's Office withdrawing the charges against one of them and reducing the sentence sought for the other three, the judge handed down a verdict by consent in accordance with the prosecutor's report.”

The court underlined the finality of the decision: “The ruling is final and definitively concludes the proceedings, as the parties have confirmed that they accept it and will not appeal.”

So the video case is over for Asencio. His problems are not.

DUI Conviction Triggers Club Disciplinary Action

Barely a day before the acquittal, Asencio was convicted in a separate matter: a traffic offence that has now dragged Real Madrid into a new disciplinary process.

On Wednesday, a Spanish court found the defender guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol. The punishment was clear and heavy: an eight-month driving licence suspension and a €14,400 fine.

Real Madrid responded by opening internal disciplinary proceedings against the player. The legal cloud may have lifted in one area, but the club now has its own decisions to make.

Head coach José Mourinho addressed the issue on Thursday, making it clear that, for now, football and fitness are the only reasons Asencio is not on the pitch.

“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,” Mourinho said.

Injured, Sidelined, and a Reputation to Repair

Asencio has yet to feature this season. A muscle injury has kept him out, and the club expects him to remain unavailable in the short term. The timing is brutal: off the field, his name has been tied to courtrooms instead of clean sheets and clearances.

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. On paper, it is the profile of a reliable squad player in one of the most demanding environments in world football.

Now the equation changes. When he returns to full fitness, Asencio will not just be fighting for minutes in a star-studded back line. He will be trying to convince Mourinho, the dressing room and the club hierarchy that he can be trusted again, on and off the pitch.

The court has spoken. The next verdict will come from Real Madrid.