Raul Asencio faces serious or very serious Real Madrid ban over drink-driving charge

Raul Asencio has been convicted of a road safety offence after admitting he was driving under the influence of alcohol in southern Gran Canaria. The Real Madrid defender was stopped at a breathalyser checkpoint at 6:30 in the morning on 16 August and tested positive in both the initial breath test and the follow-up. The court handed him a fine of 14,400 euros, paid at a rate of 120 euros per day over four months, and banned him from driving for eight months.

• Raul Asencio was stopped at a breathalyser checkpoint at 6:30 on 16 August in Gran Canaria and tested positive in both tests.
• The court ordered him to pay 14,400 euros and revoked his driving licence for eight months.
• Real Madrid can open disciplinary proceedings for a serious or very serious breach under the LaLiga and AFE collective agreement.
• A serious breach carries a suspension without pay of two to ten days; a very serious one ranges from eleven to thirty days with fines up to 25%.
• Real Madrid is not obliged to make its decision public, although it did announce the outcome in the recent Valverde and Tchouameni case.

What the collective bargaining agreement says about alcohol use

The collective agreement signed by LaLiga and the AFE forms the basis of the disciplinary codes used by clubs and lays out specific sanctions for off-field conduct. It defines as a serious breach the regular use of tobacco and alcoholic drinks to a degree that could damage the athlete's health. It also covers any off-field behaviour that seriously harms professional performance or clearly damages the club's image.

As a very serious breach, the agreement includes disobedience involving a major breakdown of discipline or serious harm to the club, including the breach of a previous sanction. Asencio, 22, made his first-team breakthrough at Real Madrid during the 2024-2025 season and his rise as a centre-back has made him one of the academy's most promising prospects, which only increases the public scrutiny of this episode.

How much money and how many days' pay Asencio could lose

If Real Madrid decides the incident qualifies as a serious breach, the player could be suspended without pay for between two and ten days. He would also face a fine of up to 7% of the first 100,000 euros of his monthly salary, with an additional 4% applied to any amount above that figure.

If the offence is classified as very serious, the suspension without pay would run from eleven to thirty days. The financial penalty would reach up to 25% of the first 100,000 euros of his monthly wage, with a further 10% for anything above that threshold. The agreement even includes dismissal as an extreme option, although that is not a common measure in cases like this.

The extraordinary disciplinary file Real Madrid is preparing

The Spanish club will open an extraordinary disciplinary file so the player can give his version of events before the final decision is made. This procedure gives the footballer the chance to present arguments and explain what happened that August night before the competent body at Real Madrid settles on a definitive sanction.

The Valverde and Tchouameni precedent from last season

Real Madrid has no obligation to publicly announce the outcome of the file. However, the club did publish its decision last season when it resolved the incident involving Fede Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni in barely 24 hours. That speed stands in contrast to the discretion that usually surrounds these internal procedures, which are normally handled away from public view.

Asencio's case also arrives at a decisive point of the campaign for the Madrid side, who are fighting for the LaLiga title and looking to progress in the Champions League. Any absence for the Canary Islander through a disciplinary sanction would reduce Carlo Ancelotti's defensive options during a congested run of fixtures.

Frequently asked questions about Raul Asencio's sanction