Raul Asencio Cleared Of Explicit Video Charges But Real Madrid's Discipline Problem With Him Persists

Raul Asencio has been acquitted by a Spanish court of distributing a sexually explicit video involving a minor, but the same ruling saw three of his former Real Madrid academy team-mates convicted of child pornography offences, according to BBC Sport. The 23-year-old defender had charges withdrawn against him in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, while his co-defendants received suspended one-year prison sentences after the two victims, aged 16 and 18, forgave them.

This is not a straightforward exoneration story. Asencio walks away with the charges dropped, but the case that swirled around him for months involved a genuine criminal conviction for others close to him, minimal sentencing tied to an unusual forgiveness clause in Spanish law, and a wholly separate club disciplinary matter over drink-driving that remains unresolved at Real Madrid.

What the court actually ruled on Asencio and his former team-mates

The case centred on the recording and distribution of a sexually explicit video following an encounter at a beach club in Gran Canaria in June 2023, according to BBC Sport. Asencio was one of several defendants linked to the incident, but the court found insufficient grounds to convict him and he was absolved of the offence, with ESPN confirming he was acquitted of charges related to allegedly recording and distributing sexual images of a woman and a minor without their consent.

An acquittal, not a declaration of innocence

It is worth being precise about what a court acquittal means here. It confirms that prosecutors could not establish Asencio's guilt to the required legal standard, not that the underlying video or its distribution never happened. In his own statement, Asencio said:

"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... 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."

He added that he had faced published information and opinion about him before the judicial process concluded, saying he believed it was worth remembering that "behind every piece of news there is a person and a family who live with the consequences of it."

The wider case: convictions, sentencing, and why victims' forgiveness mattered

While Asencio's name dominates the headlines, the more consequential legal outcome belongs to three of his former Real Madrid academy team-mates, who were convicted of child pornography offences over the same incident. Each received a one-year suspended prison sentence and was ordered to attend a sexual "re-education" course, as reported by BBC Sport.

• A one-year suspended prison sentence for child pornography offences
• Mandatory attendance on a sexual "re-education" course
• A two-year restraining order against the victims
• A three-year disqualification from working in any profession involving minors

Why the sentences were so lenient

These are convictions, not acquittals, yet the sentences are strikingly minimal given the offence involved a minor. The reason lies in the fact that the two victims, aged 16 and 18 at the time of reporting, forgave the men convicted. Under Spanish sentencing practice, victim forgiveness can be taken into account and can push sentencing towards the statutory minimum, which appears to be exactly what happened here. It is a notable feature of this case in its own right and one likely to generate debate about how Spanish courts treat child pornography offences when victims choose reconciliation over continued prosecution.

A separate problem: Real Madrid's disciplinary case and Mourinho's frustration

Entirely separate from the court case, Real Madrid have opened their own disciplinary proceedings against Asencio over a drink-driving conviction, also in Gran Canaria. He was found to be more than three times over the legal limit in an incident on 16 August, resulting in a fine and an eight-month suspension of his driving licence, according to BBC Sport.

Mourinho's pointed words

Manager Jose Mourinho was asked directly about the situation and did not disguise his displeasure, even while praising Asencio's professional conduct at the training ground. He said:

"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."

Asencio addressed the drink-driving matter in his own statement, saying he was "deeply sorry for what happened" and that he "fully" accepted his responsibility, adding that it would "not happen again" and that he was in agreement with his coach "not only on the pitch, but also off it."

What happens next for Asencio at Real Madrid

Legally, the Gran Canaria case appears closed for Asencio, though the ruling leaves open questions about how Spanish courts weigh victim forgiveness against the severity of child pornography convictions, an issue that will likely be scrutinised well beyond this single case. For the three convicted men, the restraining orders and professional bans around minors will shape their lives for years, regardless of the suspended nature of their sentences.

For Real Madrid, the more immediate concern is internal. The club's disciplinary proceedings over the drink-driving conviction remain unresolved, and Mourinho's comments make clear that the club views Asencio's off-field conduct as a genuine problem, separate from his acquittal in court and separate from his form on the pitch. Any sanction, suspension, or fine from the club's own process is still to come.

Whether Asencio's rotation and role under Mourinho are affected in the short term likely depends on the outcome of that internal review. Given the manager's explicit "I am not happy" stance, Real Madrid appear unlikely to treat this as fully resolved simply because the courts have moved on.