Raúl Asencio's Real Madrid contract starts to weigh: "It was very rushed"

Raúl Asencio's continuity at Real Madrid has started to raise more doubts than certainties. The defender's latest off-field episodes, combined with a top-tier contract renewal, have put the spotlight on a decision that more and more voices consider rushed. Pepe Brasín, a journalist and contributor to Radio MARCA, was emphatic when analyzing the situation on his segment 'Las Brasas de Brasín', part of the show 'La Tribu': the club's bet on the young center-back does not match what he has shown so far.

• Pepe Brasín calls Real Madrid's multi-million renewal of Raúl Asencio "very rushed".
• The defender allegedly registered an alcohol level of 0.90 this summer, which carries criminal penalties and a driving ban.
• Asencio faces the start of a trial over the distribution of a sexual video involving a minor.
• The contract places the academy player among the best-paid center-backs in LaLiga, earning more than six million euros gross per season.
• Brasín believes Real Madrid should sanction the player internally just for the alcohol incident alone.

What has happened to Raúl Asencio off the pitch

Pepe Brasín's analysis begins with a clear distinction between the player's private life and his behavior away from the pitch. The journalist points out that Asencio allegedly registered an alcohol level of 0.90 this summer, a figure that completely changes the severity of the matter. This is not a simple administrative sanction: exceeding the threshold of 0.60 milligrams per liter of exhaled air turns the incident into a criminal offense, punishable by a fine and the withdrawal of a driving license.

Added to that episode is the start of legal proceedings over the distribution of a sexual video in which a minor was involved. Brasín prefers to be cautious with this case and wait for what the courts decide, although he insists that these are unquestionably serious matters. The accumulation of off-field issues has turned the defender's situation into a deep-rooted problem for the club.

The Asencio renewal that Pepe Brasín questions

The core of the criticism lies not only in the incidents but also in the contractual decision Real Madrid made with the player. Brasín argues that the Spanish club elevated Asencio's status too soon, before the academy graduate had fully established himself in the first team. The renewal, signed at the time, turned the defender into one of the best-paid center-backs in LaLiga thanks to a salary exceeding six million euros gross per season.

It turns out that Real Madrid gave a player with these characteristics a multi-million renewal, making him one of the best-paid center-backs in the league.

For the journalist, that amount is completely exaggerated considering what Asencio has shown on the pitch. He compares the situation with that of footballers with far more proven careers and argues that contractual efforts of that magnitude only make sense when there is an already established figure in front. The academy player, in his view, has not reached that sporting level yet, nor has he proven to deserve such a contract.

The opportunity Asencio is not taking advantage of at Real Madrid

Brasín recalls how the door to the first team opened for Raúl Asencio. Injuries to several defensive teammates and to players ahead of him in Castilla allowed him to enter a dynamic that any academy player would have dreamed of: becoming a professional footballer, playing in the top flight, and doing it in a Real Madrid shirt. An opportunity the center-back is not making the most of as he should.

The journalist admits that the player may be going through a difficult personal moment and that anyone can make mistakes in such situations. However, he is very harsh about the direction of recent events and sums it up with a direct phrase: if you make a mistake, you own it, and Asencio is making mistakes left and right. Everything that is adding up off the pitch now forces a rethink of the sporting and financial bet that was placed on him.

The growing competition in Real Madrid's defense

The sporting context does not favor the academy player either. In addition to the multi-million renewal and the off-field episodes, there is increasing competition in the heart of the defense. Real Madrid has strengthened that area, and the presence of established center-backs reduces the margin for error of a player who also carries an evident off-field wear and tear.

For Brasín, the combination of all these factors leaves a clear conclusion: the bet on Asencio is starting to raise serious doubts at the Spanish club. The contractual decision that was made quickly at the time is now being viewed through a different lens, and the feeling is that Real Madrid may have gone too far with a footballer who had not yet finished justifying that leap.

Should Real Madrid sanction Asencio?

Pepe Brasín has a clear stance on the matter. He believes that the alcohol control episode alone, with the criminal offense it entails, should already be enough for the club to sanction the player internally. He admits he does not know how Real Madrid's statutes contemplate a situation of this kind, but he understands that the seriousness of the facts demands a response from within.

The center-back, meanwhile, is still awaiting what happens in court regarding the sexual video case. The journalist prefers not to jump ahead with that procedure and calls for caution, although he insists that both matters are serious enough for the club to consider disciplinary measures that go beyond purely sporting analysis.