Police catch drunk Real Madrid star driving three times the legal limit in Canary Islands

One of Real Madrid’s first-team regulars has been left without a driving license and more than €14,000 poorer three days after a Gran Canaria court heard his case. Raúl Asencio has been pulled over on the same island he grew up in, driving his own Porsche well above Spain’s legal alcohol limit.

Caught driving more than three times over the legal limit at dawn

Police stopped Asencio at a preventive checkpoint just after 6:30am on Sunday August 16, more than two weeks before the case became public today, Wednesday September 2. A breath test found 0.9 milligrams of alcohol per litre in his system, more than three times Spain’s legal limit of 0.25 mg/l for drivers.

Officers found the 23-year-old centre-back behind the wheel of his own Porsche Macan GTS. Once he was stopped and it was confirmed he wasn’t fit to drive, a person travelling with him took over for the rest of the journey.

A checkpoint on the GC-1, on the island Asencio calls home

The stop took place on the GC-1 motorway in San Bartolomé de Tirajana, in the south of Gran Canaria. Asencio was born in the island’s capital, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, in 2003, making the checkpoint that caught him a bitter addition to a regular homecoming trip.

Rather than face a lengthy legal process, his case went before a fast-track trial, the system Spanish courts use to resolve straightforward offences within days of an arrest. His hearing took place on Wednesday August 19, just three days after he was stopped.

Eight months banned and a €14,400 fine follow the conviction

The court convicted Asencio of an offence against road safety and fined him at a rate of €120 a day for four months, a total of €14,400. He has also lost his driving licence for eight months. Under Spain’s drink-driving rules, a breath test above 0.6 mg/l automatically makes the offence a criminal matter rather than a straightforward administrative fine. At 0.9 mg/l, Asencio’s reading left no room for doubt.

From Real Madrid’s academy to a first-team regular

Asencio joined Real Madrid’s academy at just 13 and worked his way up through the youth ranks, including a loan spell at RSC Internacional before returning to Real Madrid Castilla, where he became a standout performer. His big break came during the 2024-25 season, when injuries to David Alaba and Éder Militão pushed him into the first team. He made his La Liga debut in November 2024 against Osasuna and has since made more than 70 appearances for the club, including in the UEFA Champions League. His first Spain call-up followed in March 2025.

The excitement that comes with that international recognition is most likely starting to dwindle after the recent court conviction, leaving him with an eight-month driving ban and a five-figure fine rather than a relaxing getaway in his hometown.