José Mourinho has publicly warned Raúl Asencio over his responsibilities as a Real Madrid player after the club opened disciplinary proceedings against the defender.
Mourinho publicly warns Raúl Asencio as Real Madrid opens disciplinary case
José Mourinho says he is “not happy” with Raúl Asencio’s off-field situation and has warned the defender that representing Real Madrid is a 24-hour responsibility.
The Real Madrid coach addressed Asencio during his press conference ahead of the LaLiga clash with Real Betis.
Mourinho praised the 23-year-old’s attitude inside Valdebebas but made it clear that his expectations extend far beyond the training ground.
Real Madrid have also opened disciplinary proceedings against Asencio following his recent drink-driving conviction.
Mourinho sends clear warning to Asencio
Mourinho revealed that he spoke with Asencio about previous situations shortly after returning to Real Madrid.
The Portuguese coach stressed that he has been impressed by the defender’s professionalism during training and rehabilitation.
However, Mourinho believes wearing the Real Madrid shirt comes with responsibilities away from football as well.
“A Real Madrid player is a Real Madrid player 24 hours a day, seven days a week and 12 months a year,” Mourinho said.
He explained that the actions of players outside the club can still affect Real Madrid’s image and reputation.
Mourinho then delivered his strongest message.
“I am not happy. Everyone makes mistakes, but accumulated mistakes are something different.”
Real Madrid open disciplinary proceedings
Mourinho also confirmed that Real Madrid have formally opened a disciplinary case involving Asencio.
The development follows a separate drink-driving case in Gran Canaria.
Asencio was fined €14,400 and banned from driving for eight months after being caught driving under the influence of alcohol.
The club have not yet announced what punishment, if any, Asencio could receive from Real Madrid.
Mourinho indicated that he intends to remain outside the disciplinary process while it is being handled internally.
Asencio remains in Mourinho’s plans for now
Despite his criticism, Mourinho stopped short of saying Asencio would be removed from the first-team squad.
Asked whether he would continue counting on the defender once he returns from injury, Mourinho said he still considers Asencio a Real Madrid player while the disciplinary process remains open.
There is currently no confirmation that Real Madrid plan to sell Asencio, terminate his contract or permanently remove him from Mourinho’s squad.
His long-term position could become clearer once the internal proceedings have been completed.
Mourinho praises Asencio’s training attitude
Mourinho’s comments were not entirely negative.
The Real Madrid coach described Asencio as an exemplary professional during his time at Valdebebas.
When fit, Mourinho said few players trained harder than the young defender.
Asencio has also impressed the coaching staff with his approach to recovering from injury.
Mourinho revealed that Asencio has regularly been among the first players to arrive and the last to leave during his rehabilitation work.
That contrast appears to be central to Mourinho’s message.
He is satisfied with Asencio’s professional behaviour inside Real Madrid’s training complex, but wants the same standards maintained away from it.
Injury gives Real Madrid time to resolve the situation
Asencio has not played for Real Madrid this season because of a muscle injury.
Mourinho confirmed that the defender is expected to remain unavailable for at least another couple of weeks.
That means there is currently no immediate selection decision for the coach to make.
The injury effectively gives Real Madrid additional time to complete their disciplinary process before Asencio becomes available again.
Mourinho admitted that the situation allows him to remain focused on football while the club handles the case.
Asencio takes responsibility for drink-driving incident
Asencio has since addressed the incident publicly.
The defender expressed regret over the drink-driving case and accepted responsibility for his actions.
He said he had learned from what happened and promised that it would not happen again.
His response closely reflects Mourinho’s demand for greater responsibility from players representing Real Madrid.
The next question will be whether the club considers that response sufficient when deciding the outcome of its internal proceedings.
Asencio also cleared in separate court case
On the same day as Mourinho’s comments, Asencio was cleared in a separate legal case involving allegations that he had shown another person a sexually explicit video without the consent of those appearing in it.
Prosecutors dropped the charge against the Real Madrid defender after the victims informed the court that they had forgiven the defendants.
The case was separate from Asencio’s drink-driving conviction and should not be confused with Real Madrid’s disciplinary proceedings over the DUI incident.
Asencio later thanked Real Madrid for supporting him while the legal process was ongoing.
Mourinho makes Real Madrid standards clear
Mourinho’s message appears designed to establish a wider standard inside his squad as much as it is a warning specifically aimed at Asencio.
The Portuguese coach has made clear that professional behaviour at Valdebebas alone is not enough.
Players are expected to protect the reputation of Real Madrid away from training and matches as well.
For Asencio, the immediate future now depends on three things: completing his injury recovery, the outcome of Real Madrid’s disciplinary process and convincing Mourinho that the off-field problems will not be repeated.
For now, Mourinho continues to regard him as part of the squad.
But his public warning could hardly have been clearer.
