The Argentine midfielder agreed a three-year contract with the Serie A side.
It is a scenario few could have foreseen after Real won a Liga and Champions League double last term and began this season so convincingly.
It's been a week now since Real Madrid Cristiano Ronaldo hobbled off the pitch after injuring his thigh against Villarreal during a La Liga match last Wednesday.
The two former world number ones and French Open champions traded blows and counter-punches for two hours 48 minutes.
Rediff.com brings these and other big news from the sporting world, encapsulated in this photo feature...
A new study examines the the link between asthma and infertility.
Spanish winger Asensio cost Real a mere 3.5 million euros from Mallorca in 2014 and entered the game only in the 79th minute but played a decisive role in Cristiano Ronaldo and Marcelo each scoring late on to give the European champions the edge in the tie.
Media attention has focused on whether their most prized asset Neymar will eventually make a sensational move to the Santiago Bernabeu.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Thursday
India's Somdev Devvarman was beaten in straight sets by World No. 11 Andy Murray in the second round of the ATP Shenzen Open, in Shenzhen, on Thursday.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport ordered the Spanish club to pay Inter Milan an extra eight million euros for the purchase of the Brazil striker in 2002.
Pau Quemada scored a brace as Spain crushed New Zealand 3-1 in the Champions Trophy hockey tournament.
Images from the Champions League matches played on Wednesday
A 5-1 victory enabled them retain the top spot in the Primera Liga.
In other matches in the men's Olympic hockey qualifier, The Netherlands crushed Great Britian 3-0 to record their second straight win.
The Indians had to settle for a 2-2 draw in the women's Junior World Cup hockey tournament.
Here, Reuters Sport highlights five reasons why last season's double winners have collapsed.
India's Pandari Kummel Paulose finished last in the third heat of the Men's Single Sculls event.
Melbourne man McNamara won five singles titles and 19 in doubles and teamed up with compatriot Paul McNamee to win the Australian Open doubles in 1979 and Wimbledon twice in 1980 and 1982.
A summary of sports stories from across the globe
Ronaldo flew for 15 hours to play in the Chilean striker's game at Santiago's National Stadium.
The team, comprising Madhurika Patkar, Sushmita Roy, Mousumi Paul and Sangeetha Seshadri beat the United States 3-2 to finish in the top 10.
Roger Federer thinks a tie-breaker at 12-12 would be the best compromise following calls for Wimbledon to step into line with the US Open and scrap long deciding sets.
Carlos Bacca's first-half goal was enough to give Colombia a 1-0 victory over the United States in the third-place playoff at the Centenary Copa America in Arizona on Saturday.
Real fought back after a calamitous own goal from keeper Keylor Navas gave Betis the lead in the 25th minute, just after the Costa Rican escaped a possible red card. Cristiano Ronaldo pulled the hosts level in the 41st with a diving header.
Argentina are odds-on favourites to win the Copa America for the first time since 1993 by beating Chile in Saturday's final.
Cristiano Ronaldo's new five-year contract with Real Madrid which ties him to the Spanish club until the age of 36 will not be his last, he said on Monday. The 31-year-old forward joined Real in 2009 and is the European champions' all-time leading scorer with 371 goals in 360 games. "The numbers are impressive. I certainly never expected to make history at the best club in the world," the Portugal captain told a news conference. "This new contract is a dream come true. But this is my penultimate contract.
Real Madrid's centenary year celebrations ended on a high note when the team fought back from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 against a World Selection.
Brazil's Neymar has been banned for four matches after being sent off at the Copa America and will play no further part in the tournament, the South American football federation CONMEBOL said on Friday.
Mexico and Bolivia were booed off the pitch after playing out a drab goalless draw in their opening match of the Copa America on Friday, leaving hosts Chile top of Group A after the first round of matches.
Germany captain Florian Kunz scored twice from penalty-corners in a 4-4 draw in the Azlan Shah Cup hockey tournament.
Amit Panghal (52kg) picked up his second successive gold medal of the year
Get set to be amazed as Rediff.com has all that and more sporting action from the past week encapsulated in this super photo feature.
