Real Madrid Open Disciplinary Proceedings Against Raul Asencio After Drink-Driving Conviction

Real Madrid have opened disciplinary proceedings against defender Raul Asencio following his conviction for drink-driving, with head coach Jose Mourinho warning that players at the club are expected to maintain high standards both on and off the pitch.

Asencio, 23, was convicted last month after being found to have driven with an alcohol level more than three times above Spain’s legal limit during an incident on August 16.

A court in San Bartolome de Tirajana, Gran Canaria, fined the Real Madrid centre-back €14,400 ($16,700) and suspended his driving licence for eight months, according to a court source cited by AFP.

Mourinho said the club had begun disciplinary proceedings against Asencio but praised the defender’s professionalism within the team. “He’s a model professional,” the coach told reporters, adding that Asencio had remained one of the first players to arrive at training and the last to leave despite being sidelined by injury.

However, Mourinho stressed that representing Real Madrid comes with responsibilities beyond football. “A Real Madrid player remains so 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 12 months a year,” he said. “Everything you do outside the pitch represents Real Madrid and could affect the club’s prestige.”

The drink-driving conviction comes as Asencio prepares for another legal case in Gran Canaria over an alleged non-consensual sharing of a sexual video dating back to 2023. The case involves allegations concerning a video featuring two young women, who were aged 16 and 18 at the time, according to Spanish media reports.

Three former Real Madrid reserve players are also facing trial over allegations that they recorded and distributed the video. The proceedings are scheduled for September 3, 4 and 7. Asencio is reportedly expecting to be cleared in the case if the two women formally forgive him, although the legal proceedings remain ongoing.

Asencio has yet to feature in a matchday squad under Mourinho after suffering a hamstring injury in July. Before his injury, however, the defender had established himself as a regular part of Real Madrid’s first-team setup during the previous two seasons.

Mourinho acknowledged that players can make mistakes but suggested repeated incidents can become more serious for a club of Real Madrid’s stature. “I’m not happy. Everyone makes mistakes, but when they pile up, it’s not the same,” he said.

The disciplinary proceedings now leave Real Madrid to determine what internal action, if any, will be taken against Asencio as the club weighs his off-field conduct alongside his status as a first-team defender.