ไทย
English
中國人
José Mourinho has reminded his players that representing Real Madrid is a "24-hour a day" commitment, issuing a very public rebuke to defender Raúl Asencio following his recent traffic violation.
On Wednesday, Gran Canaria's High Court of Justice confirmed that Asencio had been found guilty of driving under the influence of alcohol back in August.
The 23-year-old, who joined Madrid's youth academy in 2017, was stopped at a police checkpoint in Gran Canaria on Aug. 16 and recorded a breathalyzer reading four times over the legal alcohol limit.
The centre back, who has been absent from Madrid's squad this season through injury, was handed a €14,400 ($16,700) fine and had his driving licence revoked for eight months.
Mourinho: "Accumulated Mistakes... That's a Different Story"
When asked about Asencio's future at the club during his pre-match press conference ahead of Madrid's visit to Real Betis on Friday, Mourinho said he was "not happy" with the player's behaviour off the pitch, while acknowledging he is an "exemplary professional" in training.
"I spoke with him when I first arrived," Mourinho said. "I addressed things from the past. Since then ... I haven't spoken to him again.
"At Valdebebas, I'd say he's an exemplary professional. When he was fit, nobody trained harder or with more dedication. Now that he's been sidelined for weeks, he's the first one in and the last to leave. His commitment to his recovery is outstanding.
"But a Real Madrid player is a Real Madrid player 24 hours a day. Seven days a week. Twelve months a year. Everything you do outside your professional life still reflects on Real Madrid. It continues to harm the reputation of a club that is untouchable. That cannot be tarnished. And with that, I'm essentially saying that ... I'm not happy.
"We all make mistakes. But accumulated mistakes ... That's a different story."
When pushed further on the matter, Mourinho confirmed that the club has "launched an investigation" into the incident.
Asencio a Problem Player for Mourinho
The "accumulated mistakes" Mourinho referred to was an unmistakable allusion to Asencio's other recent legal troubles.
On Thursday, the defender was cleared by a Spanish court of charges relating to the distribution of sexual images of a woman and a minor without their consent. Asencio's former Real Madrid youth teammates Andrés García, Ferrán Ruiz and Juan Rodríguez all accepted a one-year suspended prison sentence for distributing child pornography.
With that matter—which had cast a long shadow over both the player and the club in recent months—now resolved, Mourinho must determine whether Asencio has a role in his future plans.
Dean Huijsen has been a consistent presence in the new manager's defensive lineup during the early stages of the season, while Antonio Rüdiger and Ibrahima Konaté have shared the other centre back position on rotation.
With Éder Militão also yet to return and 19-year-old Mario Rivas having made a strong impression during preseason, it could prove difficult for Asencio, given all his off-field issues, to persuade Mourinho that he has a long-term future at the club.