Raúl Asencio fined €14,400 and banned from driving for eight months after Gran Canaria arrest
Real Madrid defender Raúl Asencio received a €14,400 fine and an eight-month driving suspension after testing nearly four times above the legal alcohol limit in Gran Canaria.
Traffic stop and conviction
Real Madrid centre-back Raúl Asencio received a €14,400 fine and an eight-month driving licence suspension after police in Gran Canaria caught him driving under the influence of alcohol. The 23-year-old defender was stopped during a routine police control in the early hours of 16 August 2026 while driving a Porsche in San Bartolomé de Tirajana, in southern Gran Canaria. Breathalyser tests administered at the scene registered 0.90 milligrams of alcohol per litre of expired air, nearly four times the legal Spanish limit of 0.25 mg/l and well above the 0.60 mg/l threshold for a criminal road safety offence.
Asencio accepted the charges during a fast-track judicial hearing on 19 August 2026. The court ordered him to pay a fine structured at €120 per day over a four-month period, totaling €14,400, alongside the driving disqualification. At the time of the incident, Real Madrid was playing a pre-season friendly against FC Schalke 04, a fixture Asencio missed while recovering from a right thigh muscle injury suffered in July 2026.
- Legal limit
- 0.25 mg/l
- Criminal threshold
- 0.6 mg/l
- Asencio test
- 0.9 mg/l
Pending trial over video distribution
The driving conviction coincides with another legal proceeding involving Asencio. The defender is scheduled to appear in court for an oral trial concerning the alleged distribution of non-consensual sexual recordings dating back to June 2023. The events took place during a holiday period in Gran Canaria and originally involved four players from Real Madrid Castilla, the club reserve side.
Following the initial investigation, Real Madrid expelled youth players Ferrán Ruiz, Andrés García, and Juan Rodríguez from the club. Asencio remained on the roster because investigators determined he did not participate in filming the two women, one of whom was 16 years old at the time, but instead allegedly showed the footage to an acquaintance. While legal representatives anticipate a possible acquittal on the privacy charges, the case has prompted public criticism from supporters demanding the cancellation of his long-term contract.
- Alleged sexual recording incident occurs in Gran Canaria involving academy players
- Receives first call-up to the Spain national team under Luis de la Fuente
- Stopped by police in Gran Canaria with a 0.90 mg/l breath alcohol reading
- Sentenced in fast-track trial to a €14,400 fine and an eight-month driving suspension
Sporting trajectory under José Mourinho
Asencio broke into Real Madrid first team during the 2024–2025 campaign under manager Carlo Ancelotti, who turned to the academy amid injuries to senior central defenders. Asencio made 23 appearances, started 18 matches, and logged 1,671 minutes across that season, earning a maiden call-up to the Spain national squad from manager Luis de la Fuente in March 2025. Following that breakthrough, Real Madrid extended his contract through 2031, incorporating an €8 million gross annual salary including bonuses and a €1 billion release clause.
His sporting trajectory shifted during the 2025–2026 season amid managerial transitions involving Xabi Alonso and Álvaro Arbeloa. Asencio lost his regular spot in the starting lineup and fell out of international contention, with his estimated transfer value declining from €40 million to €20 million across that period. Real Madrid appointed José Mourinho ahead of the 2026–2027 season and reinforced the defensive line with the signing of Ibrahima Konaté. Asencio has yet to feature under Mourinho due to his muscle injury, leaving him sidelined as Madrid prepares for upcoming matches against Real Betis, Inter Milan, Rayo Vallecano, and Elche.
