‘I’m not happy’ - Real Madrid tearaway ‘hurts’ the club, says Mourinho

4 Sept 2026 08:48 BST | 3 min read

Robin Bairner | Chief Editor

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Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has admitted that he has been left frustrated by the actions of defender Raul Asencio, who has ‘hurt’ the club with his actions.

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On Thursday, Asencio was convicted of driving under the influence, having been over the legal alcohol limit on two breathaliser tests, and was fined €14,400 plus given an eight-month driving ban after being found guilty of the incident, which occurred on 16 August.

Mourinho was appointed as Real Madrid head coach in the summer to install a greater sense of discipline into the squad, and while it appears the Portuguese has achieved that within the confines of the club at Valdebebas, he has reminded his players of their responsibilities outside of the training base.

Current ETV

Raúl Asencio

D (C)

Real Madrid

Raúl Asencio

D (C)

Real Madrid

ETV Range

€17.9M - €21.9M

“A Real Madrid player is a Real Madrid player 24 hours a day. What you can do off the pitch can damage your reputation and that of the club. I’m not happy,” Mourinho said.

“Inside Valdebebas, he's a true professional. When he was fit, nobody trained harder or better than him. Now that he's injured, he's the first to arrive and the last to leave. Extreme dedication.

“The club has opened an investigation, and in the meantime, he's a Real Madrid player.

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

Asencio acquitted in sex video case

Asencio, meanwhile, has been acquitted of charges ⁠related to ⁠sharing a sexually explicit video without the consent of the victims, including a minor, a Gran Canaria court said on Thursday.

Prosecutors dropped the case against the 23-year-old after victims told the court they had forgiven the defendant, with three other former Real Madrid youth players having had their sentencing requests reduced at the same time.

He is not, however, expected to make a quick return to the first-team fold as he continues to nurse a hamstring problem that will keep him sidelined for another two weeks.

Mourinho tested for the first time since Real Madrid return

The Asencio case is the first public test of Mourinho’s grip over the discipline of the squad, which was a notorious problem last season under both Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa.

Indeed, the veteran has been appointed for a second spell at the Bernabeu at least partially based on his man-management qualities, which is what he has built his legendary career around.

His comments about ‘accumulated mistakes’ send a clear warning to Asencio: he may be given a reprieve on this occasion, but should he step out of line again, he could face a far more severe sanction.

While this case has clearly been an off-field headache for Real Madrid, on the pitch, Mourinho’s side have made a strong start to the season, winning three from three in La Liga before a visit to Real Betis on Friday.