Real Madrid's Raul Asencio could spend up to two-and-a-half years in prison as Spanish prosecutors call for sentencing over child sex abuse scandal

The Real Madrid defender stands accused of sharing a tape involving a minor. A summary provided to The Athletic from the Prosecutor’s Office states that "two former Real Madrid youth players had consensual sexual intercourse with a minor and another girl and recorded images without their consent".

It is claimed that Asencio asked for said videos, having not been involved in the sexual activity, and showed them to a friend - which would constitute two crimes against privacy, per Article 77 of the Spanish Criminal Code. The alleged victims are said to be suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, with the summary calling for Asencio to pay €5,000 to each of them while three other men face potential custodial sentences.

The case relates to an incident at a beach club in Gran Canaria from 2023. The three other players - Ferran Ruiz, Juan Rodriguez, and Andres Garcia - were arrested in September 2023. Asencio became part of the investigation after initially being called to give testimony as a witness. The Guardia Civil said at the time that the case was related to "a complaint about the alleged broadcasting of a private video via WhatsApp".

In May 2025, Asencio said in a statement responding to an erroneous court document that was later corrected to specify that he faces a single charge of sharing a sex tape involving a minor: "I have not participated in any behaviour that violated the sexual freedom of any woman, much less of minors. The court order, as far as I am concerned, limits its content to the possible momentary viewing of some images by a third party, without attributing to me any participation in their recording or dissemination.

"The accusation made against me, as expressly stated in the court decision itself, is strictly provisional in nature. Therefore, the presumption of innocence must continue to prevail. In the event that charges are finally brought and an oral trial is opened, I will continue to exercise my defence before the Courts and Tribunals, in which I maintain full confidence, reaffirming that I am not involved in any criminal conduct."

It was revealed in February that a Spanish court had rejected an appeal on behalf of Asencio calling the provisional dismissal of the case. Asensio’s representatives have told The Athletic that they are "trusting justice would prevail" and that prison time for their client can be avoided.