Real Madrid defender issues statement being prosecuted over serious claims – ‘Charges are strictly provisional’ | OneFootball

Real Madrid defender Raul Asencio is facing serious legal issues after being formally prosecuted for sharing explicit videos involving two women, with one confirmed to be a minor at the time.

On Thursday, the 22-year-old footballer broke his silence and issued an official statement on social media, defending his position and stressing that he is innocent.

According to Asencio, the charges are still at a provisional stage, and as such, the principle of presumption of innocence must continue to apply.

He wrote, “The charges brought against me, as expressly stated in the court ruling itself, are strictly provisional. Therefore, the presumption of innocence must continue to prevail.”

The case involves claims that Asencio shared intimate images with others, even though one of the women in the videos was only 16 years old at the time.

The accusation falls under the legal offence of revealing secrets, and Asencio has now become one of the key figures in the investigation.

Asencio distances himself from alleged acts

In his statement, Asencio also clarified a crucial part of the court’s early findings. He pointed out that the judge confirmed he was not the person who sent any of the videos or images in question.

“Likewise, the court ruling clarifies that I was not the one who sent any intimate images or videos to third parties, which, I reiterate, were recorded in a location other than where I was,” he added.

Initially, Asencio was only questioned as a witness during the investigation, which began after the arrest of three other individuals, namely Andres Garcia, Ferran Ruiz, and Juan Rodriguez, in September 2023.

However, further investigation by the Guardia Civil led to Asencio being included as a suspect.

While the case develops, Asencio’s future both on and off the pitch remains uncertain. The legal process is still in its early stages, and Real Madrid have yet to release an official statement regarding the matter.

Asencio’s full statement

Raul Asencio has released a statement. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)

Following the clarification issued today by the head of the Investigating Court No. 3 of San Bartolomé de Tirajana—in which the initial indictment order was amended, expressly excluding me from both the recording of videos with sexual content and the events that were the subject of said recording—and in view of the public dissemination of information related to said procedure, I wish to state the following:

1. I have not participated in any behavior that violates the sexual freedom of any woman, much less that of minors. This is confirmed by the ruling issued by the aforementioned Court, which does not accuse me of having had sexual relations with the two women involved, nor of having recorded them, with or without their consent. Likewise, the court order clarifies that I was not the one who sent any intimate images or videos to third parties, which, I reiterate, were recorded in a location other than where I was.

2. The court order, as far as I am concerned, limits its content to the eventual momentary viewing of some images by a third party, without attributing to me any participation in their recording or dissemination.

3. The charges brought against me, as expressly stated in the court ruling itself, are strictly provisional. Therefore, the presumption of innocence must continue to prevail. Should charges ultimately be filed and a trial commence, I will continue to defend myself before the Courts and Tribunals, in which I have full confidence, reaffirming my innocence of any criminal conduct. All of this is without prejudice to the utmost respect for the conduct of the judicial proceedings as a whole, including those of the other persons under investigation.

4. I want to reiterate, once again, my absolute respect for the rights to sexual freedom and privacy of all women.