Real Madrid defender Raul Asencio was acquitted on Thursday by a court in Gran Canaria, Spain, of charges related to the alleged distribution of a sexually explicit video without the victim’s consent. Prosecutors dropped the charges against Asencio and reduced sentencing demands for three other former Real Madrid youth players after the victims expressed forgiveness during the trial.
The three other players, accused of recording and sharing sexual videos involving two teenage girls, one of whom was underage, received one-year prison sentences. However, these sentences were suspended provided they commit no further offenses during the probation period. Asencio faced only the charge of sharing the video.
Separately, Asencio was fined €14,400 (approximately $16,800) and received an eight-month driving ban for driving under the influence of alcohol, as announced by another court on Wednesday.
Earlier on Thursday, Real Madrid coach José Mourinho confirmed that the club had initiated disciplinary proceedings against Asencio. Despite this, Mourinho stated that Asencio would remain part of the team’s plans while the case was ongoing. Mourinho emphasized the impact of players’ actions off the field, 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.” He added, “I’m not happy. Everyone makes mistakes, but a series of mistakes is something different.”
Asencio has not featured for Real Madrid this season due to an injury expected to sideline him for a few more weeks, Mourinho noted.