Raul Asencio’s fight for redemption at Real Madrid is starting a long way from the pitch.
The 23-year-old defender, once tipped as a future pillar of the club’s back line, now finds himself at the heart of a disciplinary storm that arrived on Jose Mourinho’s desk almost the moment the Portuguese coach walked back through the doors of Valdebebas.
Mourinho’s return, and a problem waiting on his desk
When Real Madrid confirmed in June that Jose Mourinho was returning on a three-year deal, the headlines wrote themselves. The prodigal coach back at the Bernabéu. The promise of edge, steel, and a ruthless reset.
Mourinho inherited noise straight away. The drawn-out saga around Vinicius Junior and Arsenal dominated the early weeks, the Brazilian eventually signing a new deal after persistent speculation over a Premier League move.
But the biggest off-field issue wasn’t a transfer. It was Raul Asencio.
A night in Gran Canaria that changed everything
On August 16, at around 6:30am in southern Gran Canaria, police stopped Asencio at a breathalyser checkpoint while he was driving a Porsche Macan GTS. What followed pushed his career to the brink.
Initial and secondary breath tests both showed he was over the limit. Way over.
Figures published by Spanish outlet Atlantico Hoy reported readings of 0.90 and 0.88 milligrams of alcohol per litre of exhaled air. Spain’s legal limit is 0.25 mg/l. Asencio was more than three times above it.
The process moved quickly. He was summoned to a fast-track trial and hit with a €14,400 (£12,480) fine, calculated as €120 per day over four months. On top of that came an eight-month driving ban.
For a young player at Real Madrid, the numbers were less damaging than the optics. This was not just a mistake; it was a scandal.
Another case, another courtroom
The timing could hardly be worse. The drink-driving trial landed just one day before Asencio was due in court for a separate legal case, this one tied to a sexually explicit video allegedly recorded in 2023 by three of his former Real Madrid youth academy teammates.
Asencio is accused of showing explicit images of two female complainants to another person on his mobile phone. According to reports, he has privately apologised to both women and paid them compensation, and they are said to have forgiven him.
The legal machinery will decide how that story ends. Professionally, though, the damage is already done. His reputation at the club is hanging by a thread.
Madrid’s response: discipline before redemption
Inside Real Madrid, the reaction has been firm. The club has opened disciplinary proceedings against Asencio over the drink-driving conviction. Before he can think about reclaiming a place in Mourinho’s squad, he must first face internal punishment.
The range of sanctions is clear: a financial penalty, or a different form of disciplinary action, depending on how seriously the club judges the offence. Only once that process is complete can he be fully reintegrated into the first-team dynamic.
The trust, however, will be harder to restore than any driving licence.
Reports in Spain suggest Real Madrid even considered selling Asencio during the summer window. An injury complicated that idea and effectively parked potential offers, but the message was unmistakable: his position is no longer secure by default.
A promise to Mourinho
Against that backdrop, Asencio has moved into damage-control mode. According to Defensa Central, he knows exactly how serious his recent mistakes have been. He also knows this might be his last chance at the club.
The defender has reportedly held a personal meeting with Mourinho, during which he pledged to focus completely on his football, to improve, and to leave his recent past behind him.
For Mourinho, who has built his career on demanding discipline and absolute commitment, this is a test of both authority and judgement. How much risk is he willing to take on a 23-year-old defender with talent, baggage, and a lot to prove?
Real Madrid will decide his punishment. Mourinho will decide his role. Asencio must now decide whether this becomes the lowest point of a wasted career, or the moment that finally forces him to grow up.
