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Raúl Asencio sat on the bench without seeing any action during Real Madrid's loss to Bayern Munich on Tuesday, extending his streak of six consecutive matches without playing for the side.
The central defender last appeared on the pitch when he started the 2–1 win against Celta Vigo on March 6, and has not featured since—despite being in good health. The situation reportedly stems from a falling out with head coach Alvaro Arbeloa.
According to a report from MARCA, the 23-year-old was unhappy with Arbeloa's choice to leave him on the bench for the Champions League Round of 16 first leg against Manchester City at the Bernabéu. The manager opted for a central defensive partnership of Antonio Rüdiger and Dean Huijsen—with Asencio watching from the sidelines as an unused substitute.
This did not sit well with Asencio, who reportedly pushed hard to be fit for the league victory over Vigo five days prior, during a defensive injury crisis at the club. Consequently, Asencio felt he had "earned" a starting berth in the high-profile Champions League fixture.
Standoff Between Manager and Player Ends With Apology
The situation worsened when Asencio withdrew himself from Madrid's league clash with Elche, citing muscular discomfort.
Arbeloa was reportedly displeased by Asencio's withdrawal, as he was forced to call upon Rüdiger for the Elche fixture despite needing to carefully manage the German's physical condition.
Asencio was subsequently left out of the squad for the following two matches against Manchester City and Atlético Madrid, with Arbeloa reportedly insisting that the defender issue an apology to the rest of the squad for his conduct.
With speculation about the player spreading online, Asencio and Arbeloa resolved their differences after the player publicly apologized to his teammates, and he has since been reinstated to the squads for the games against Mallorca and Bayern Munich—though he remained an unused substitute in both outings.
The report indicates that the "saga" is now considered over, with Asencio back in contention for selection.
Off -Field Issues for Asencio
Asencio, who joined the Real Madrid academy in 2017, has gone on to make 72 first-team appearances for the club, and has even drawn comparisons to legendary defender Sergio Ramos for his combative style at the back. However, his time at Madrid has been overshadowed by off-field controversy.
Back in September 2025, it was confirmed that Asencio, along with three other former Real Madrid youth players, are set to stand trial in connection with the alleged recording and distribution of sexual videos involving two women, one of whom was underage at the time.
This follows a police and judicial investigation into the incident, which is alleged to have taken place on the Spanish island of Gran Canaria in June 2023.
Prosecutors are reportedly seeking a custodial sentence of two years and six months for Asencio.