Real Madrid's Raul Asencio acquitted on sex offence charge as three co-defendants receive suspended sentences

A court on the Spanish island of Gran Canaria has acquitted Real Madrid defender Raul Asencio of charges related to sharing a video of sexual content without the victims’ consent, after prosecutors dropped the case against him on Thursday.

Asencio had been the only defendant accused solely of sharing the video, rather than recording it. Prosecutors reduced their sentencing requests for three other former Real Madrid youth players after the two victims — one of them a minor at the time — told the court they had forgiven the defendants. Those three players were sentenced to one year in prison each, with the sentences suspended on condition that they commit no further offences during that period.

The acquittal came on the same day a separate court issued Asencio a €14,400 ($16,800) fine and an eight-month driving ban after he was caught driving under the influence of alcohol.

Real Madrid coach José Mourinho confirmed the club had opened disciplinary proceedings against the player in response to the drink-driving matter, but said Asencio would remain part of his squad while the process played out.

“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,” Mourinho said. “I’m not happy. Everyone makes mistakes, but a series of mistakes is something different.”

Asencio has not featured for the club this season due to an injury that Mourinho said is expected to keep him sidelined for a further couple of weeks.