Raúl Asencio, the young Real Madrid defender, is currently in the news for two separate but related reasons: an ongoing legal case from 2023 and, most recently, a very worrying on‑field injury in a Champions League match.

What happened to Raúl Asencio?

1. The recent on‑field incident (February 2026)

In late February 2026, Raúl Asencio suffered a horror fall during Real Madrid’s Champions League tie against Benfica.

  • He collided heavily (reports mention contact with a teammate) and landed awkwardly.
  • Medical staff immediately treated him on the pitch, applied a neck brace and took him off on a stretcher , which caused real alarm among players and fans.
  • Spanish and international media describe it as a scary scene, with concern focused on possible neck or spinal injury, hence the extreme caution with the brace and stretcher.

As of the latest public reports, he has been undergoing further medical checks, and the club is expected to give updates on the extent of the injury and his recovery timetable.

2. The legal scandal and court case

Separate from his injury, Asencio has been involved in a serious legal case linked to a non‑consensual sexual video involving a minor recorded in June 2023.

Key points:

  • The original video was recorded by several then‑Real Madrid youth players during a sexual encounter with one woman and one 16‑year‑old girl in the Canary Islands. The minor’s mother later filed a complaint.
  • Asencio is accused not of recording the video, but of requesting it, viewing it and sharing it via WhatsApp, which prosecutors argue is still a criminal offense related to privacy violations and child pornography.
  • In February 2025, a Spanish court rejected his appeal to close the investigation, ruling that the inquiry into his alleged role in distributing the video should continue.
  • Prosecutors are reportedly seeking around 2.5 years in prison plus fines and compensation , while the victim’s legal team has asked for an even harsher sentence.

Asencio has publicly denied criminal wrongdoing and issued a statement saying that, as far as the court order concerns him, it only refers to the “momentary viewing” of images and does not attribute participation in recording or distributing them. He also stressed his respect for women’s rights to privacy and sexual freedom.

The case had not yet reached a final verdict in the latest publicly available information, so his legal status remains that of a defendant under investigation, with the presumption of innocence still legally in place.

3. His football situation amid everything

Despite the legal cloud, Asencio’s career has continued to progress on the pitch.

  • He broke into Real Madrid’s first team and made over 20 senior appearances, often filling in at center‑back during an injury crisis in defense.
  • In March 2025, he earned his first call‑up to the Spain national team for the Nations League quarterfinals against the Netherlands, after a strong season for Madrid.
  • Real Madrid have kept him registered with the first team and provided legal support while the case progresses.

Before the injury against Benfica, he had been playing regularly, sometimes through pain from a shin fatigue fracture, and had even contributed goals and strong defensive numbers for Madrid.

4. Forum and fan discussion: “What happened to Raúl Asencio?”

On forums and fan spaces, when people ask “what happened to Raúl Asencio,” they’re usually referring to a mix of:

  • The legal scandal and whether he might face prison or a long suspension.
  • His future at Real Madrid – whether the club should stand by him or suspend him until there is a verdict.
  • Now, the scary injury vs Benfica , with fans worrying whether he’ll be out long‑term or suffer lasting damage.

You’ll see divided viewpoints:

  • Some argue Madrid should have taken a harder line and benched or suspended him pending trial.
  • Others insist on the presumption of innocence and point to his importance on the pitch as a reason to keep playing him.

5. Where things stand now (early 2026)

Putting it all together:

  • Legally: He is still under investigation/prosecution related to the distribution of a sexual video involving a minor; his appeal to stop the case was rejected, and a full trial is expected or underway.
  • Sportingly: He had been establishing himself as a key Real Madrid center‑back and even reached the Spanish national team, but the recent neck‑brace stretcher incident has created a new layer of uncertainty about his short‑term playing future.

Given that both the court process and his medical evaluations are ongoing, the situation is still developing, and any definitive outcome (verdict, sentence, or long‑term injury diagnosis) has not yet been fully confirmed in public sources.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.