Carlo Ancelotti’s tax fraud trial concluded on Thursday in Spain, with prosecutors insisting that the Real Madrid coach should be sentenced to four years and nine months in prison for allegedly concealing income from the tax authorities.
Ancelotti, however, denied any intentional wrongdoing when he took the stand on Wednesday at the High Court of Justice in Madrid.
He emphasized, “I never considered committing fraud.”
The 65-year-old coach is accused of failing to report earnings from image rights on his tax returns during his first tenure as Madrid manager from 2013 to 2015.
Initially charged in 2020, Ancelotti was alleged to owe over €1 million in taxes, with a requested sentence of four years and nine months in prison along with a €3.2m fine.
Just hours after guiding his team to a penalty shootout victory over Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey semi-final, Ancelotti appeared in court. It was disclosed that he had already repaid €1.5 million to the Spanish tax authorities.
In his defense, Ancelotti explained that Madrid had suggested paying part of his salary through image rights, but he believed it would contribute to his agreed net salary of €6m.
He remarked, “I have never thought of committing fraud. I have never had a company for image rights except for these two years,” adding that he believed it was Madrid’s responsibility to settle matters with the tax authorities.
Ancelotti further stated, “I was only concerned with collecting the net €6m over three years, and I never realised anything was wrong, nor did I receive any notification that the Prosecutor’s Office was investigating me.”
