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Former Italian footballer Carlo Ancelotti is regarded as one of the most successful coaches in modern football. He has coached teams like AC Milan, Real Madrid, and Chelsea, resulting in them winning the titles during his stint there. Currently, he is a part of the Brazil national team since he departed from Real Madrid at the conclusion of La Liga 2024-25. In a chain of events his name has also popped in a tax evasion list, which includes star players like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo as well.
Carlo Ancelotti has been sentenced to one year in prison and fined €386,361 by a Madrid court for tax fraud. The former Real Madrid boss was accused of failing to pay €1 million in tax on his salary during his first stint in charge of the club from 2013 to 2015. He will avoid prison, but does have to pay the fine. The 66-year-old was cleared of a similar charge for allegations relating to 2015 because, in this case, the prosecutors could not prove he stayed in Spain long enough to incur tax liabilities since he moved to London after being sacked by Real Madrid. Carlos Sanchez, Ancelotti’s press officer, told The Associated Press that the coach “will not make comments for now.”
Spanish public prosecutor seeks a sentence of more than four years for Carlo Ancelotti
According to the current verdict, Carlo Ancelotti has been sentenced to one year prison, but the Spanish public prosecutor wanted it to be four years. But, it is rare under Spanish law to enforce jail sentences of under two years for non-violent and first-time offenders. Earlier this year, Ancelotti said he “never thought about committing fraud” as he testified in court. He said about being offered a net salary of €6 million by Real and that he left the structure of it to his financial advisers. “I thought it was quite normal because at that time all the players and the previous coach had (done the same),” Ancelotti added.
Moreover, Lionel Messi, then with Barcelona, was initially given a 21-month prison sentence in 2017, but this punishment was then reduced to a fine of €252,000 with no jail term attached. Real Madrid striker Cristiano Ronaldo accepted an €18.8 million fine in 2019. Jose Mourinho, another former Chelsea boss, was fined €2.2 million relating to tax charges during his time as Real manager from 2011-12.
