Asencio Acquitted in Video Case Amid New Legal Troubles at Real Madrid

Real Madrid defender Asencio has been fully acquitted by a Spanish court of charges relating to the non-consensual distribution of a sexually explicit video involving a woman and a 16-year-old girl.

The ruling came on Thursday in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, closing a case that had hovered over the player since a recorded sexual encounter at a Canary Islands beach club in June 2023 became the subject of a criminal investigation.

Asencio was never accused of filming the incident. The allegation centred on whether he shared the footage. That accusation has now been dropped completely after prosecutors withdrew all claims against him.

Three of his former Real Madrid youth teammates – Andrés García, Ferrán Ruiz and Juan Rodríguez – did not walk away so cleanly. 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 came in court when the two young women featured in the video told the judge they forgave the players. A statement from the Las Palmas de Gran Canaria court outlined how that shaped 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."

Legal Case Closed, Club Storm Brewing

The acquittal draws a line under one controversy. Another has already taken its place.

On Wednesday, in a separate matter, Asencio was convicted of driving under the influence of alcohol. The sentence was clear and costly: an eight-month driving licence suspension and a €14,400 fine.

Real Madrid moved quickly. The club has opened internal disciplinary proceedings against the defender, adding an institutional layer to his legal problems.

Head coach José Mourinho addressed the situation on Thursday, making it clear that, for now, football decisions and disciplinary processes will run on parallel tracks.

"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, Under Review, and Fighting for His Place

Asencio has yet to play this season. A muscle injury has kept him out and will continue to do so in the short term, sparing Mourinho an immediate selection dilemma but stretching the uncertainty around the player’s future.

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 the pitch, his trajectory had been one of steady growth, from promising academy product to reliable squad option.

Now the equation is more complicated. The court case is over, but the club’s internal process is only beginning. When his muscle problem heals, Asencio will not just be returning from injury; he will be walking back into a dressing room and a boardroom where trust has to be earned again.

The legal slate may be wiped clean. Inside Real Madrid, the real verdict is still to come.