Real Madrid’s head coach, Carlo Ancelotti, is set to go on trial next week for allegedly failing to declare over one million euros ($1.1 million) in income to Spanish tax authorities. A Madrid court confirmed on Friday that the 65-year-old Italian coach is accused of using a complex system of shell companies to conceal earnings from image rights and other sources between 2014 and 2015.
Spanish prosecutors are seeking a four-year and nine-month jail term for Ancelotti. They claim that while he declared his salary from Real Madrid, he failed to report additional earnings from his image rights and other financial interests, despite being registered as a tax resident in Spain.
Prosecutors allege that Ancelotti deliberately set up a confusing and complex financial structure to hide his extra income. A court spokesperson stated that the defendant used a network of companies to avoid paying the correct amount of taxes.
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The trial will begin on Wednesday and is expected to last for two days. Ancelotti is required to attend the hearings in person, according to court officials. The case dates back to 2023, when a Spanish court ruled that Ancelotti should stand trial over the allegations, but it took until now for the trial date to be confirmed.
Ancelotti, one of the most successful coaches in football history, has previously downplayed the allegations. When asked about the case last year, he called it an old story that he hoped would be resolved soon.
The Italian manager first joined Real Madrid in 2013, leading the team to its famous “La Décima” Champions League title in 2014 before leaving the club in 2015. He later coached Bayern Munich, Napoli, and Everton before making a sensational return to Real Madrid in 2021.
With his impressive coaching record, including a record five Champions League titles as a manager, Ancelotti’s trial is attracting major attention from the football community.
Fans and analysts are waiting to see if the case will impact his role at Real Madrid, where he remains a key figure in the club’s ongoing success. However, legal experts note that even if convicted, Ancelotti is unlikely to serve prison time, as Spanish law often allows first-time offenders with sentences under two years to avoid jail through fines or suspended sentences.