Raúl Asencio Returns to Real Madrid Squad Under Mourinho

José Mourinho has his squad. And, at long last, he has Raúl Asencio back.

The Real Madrid coach named his group for Saturday’s league trip to Rayo Vallecano, with the young Spanish defender returning after more than a month on the sidelines. It has been a long, awkward wait for a player who has not yet played a single competitive minute under Mourinho.

Asencio back from bruising spell

Asencio’s body gave way before his season ever really started. First came a muscular injury to the rectus femoris, then a further setback in his shin bone that stretched his absence to around six weeks. Only in recent days has he rejoined full training, taking part normally in sessions at Valdebebas.

Those sessions convinced the medical staff and Mourinho. The defender has been given the green light and steps straight into the matchday squad for Vallecas.

His return lands at a useful moment. Madrid face a congested run of fixtures, with league games squeezed into midweek and rotation no longer a luxury but a necessity. Mourinho gains one more body in central defence, one more option as the calendar tightens.

A turbulent summer off the pitch

The comeback also closes a messy summer for Asencio, whose future had hung in the air even before injury struck. He had been close to leaving the club, only for the muscular problem to halt any movement and freeze talks over his next step.

Off the pitch, the defender has lived under legal scrutiny. In recent days he learned of his acquittal in the case linked to a video in which he appeared. At the same time, a court found him guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol on the island of Gran Canaria last August.

Mourinho did not hide his irritation. “A Real Madrid player remains a Real Madrid player 24 hours a day. What you do outside the club can harm your reputation and the club's reputation, and I am not happy,” he said, drawing a clear line for the dressing room to see.

Now the excuses are gone. Fit again, case resolved, transfer talk cooled. Asencio’s focus returns to the pitch, where he still has everything to prove if he wants a real shot under Mourinho.

Key absences and full squad list

Not everyone is available. Éder Militão, Ferland Mendy and Rodrygo are all left out of the squad and will play no part against Rayo Vallecano, trimming Mourinho’s options at both ends of the pitch.

The squad in full:

• Goalkeepers: Courtois, Lunin, Sergio Mestre.
• Defence: Asencio, Huijsen, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Konaté, Cucurella, Carreras, Rüdiger, Dumfries.
• Midfield: Bellingham, Camavinga, Valverde, Tchouaméni, Arda Güler, Bernardo Silva, Thiago Pitarch.
• Attack: Vinícius, Endrick, Mbappé, Espí, Brahim Díaz, Diomandé.

For Asencio, simply being on that list is a step forward. The next one is harder: convincing Mourinho that his name should be on the teamsheet, not just the squad announcement.