Ancelotti Denies Fraud as He Faces Tax Evasion Charges in Spanish Court
Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti insists he "never thought about committing fraud" during his testimony over alleged tax evasion linked to his first spell with the club.
Carlo Ancelotti, the manager of Real Madrid, has appeared before the Provincial Court of Madrid to address accusations of tax evasion stemming from his first tenure with the club between 2013 and 2015. The Italian coach is accused of failing to declare over €1 million (£830,000) in taxes related to image rights earnings, declaring only his base salary from the club.
Ancelotti, who returned to manage Real Madrid in 2021, maintained his innocence in court, claiming he relied entirely on his financial advisors to handle the structuring of his income. "For me, everything was in order," Ancelotti said during his testimony. He added that he accepted a net salary of €6 million (£5.1 million) and assumed the arrangement was standard practice at the time.
"I thought it was quite normal because at that time all the players and the previous coach had [done the same]," he explained. He also pointed out that, unlike players, image rights are less lucrative for managers: "For coaches, [image rights] don't mean the same as they do for players because they don't sell shirts."
Spanish prosecutors are seeking a prison sentence of four years and nine months for the 64-year-old, along with a fine of €3.2 million (£2.7 million).
Ancelotti’s case adds to a growing list of high-profile tax cases in Spanish football. Barcelona legend Lionel Messi was handed a 21-month suspended sentence and fined €252,000 in 2017. Cristiano Ronaldo accepted an €18.8 million fine in 2019 through a settlement, and former Real Madrid manager José Mourinho was fined €2.2 million for tax offenses committed during his time at the club in 2011-2012.
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