Carlo Ancelotti Faces Tax Fraud Verdict in Spain

Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti received a one-year prison sentence from a Spanish court for tax evasion on image rights revenues in 2014 during his tenure as Real Madrid manager. Though cleared for 2015, Ancelotti joins a list of soccer celebrities under scrutiny by Spanish tax authorities.

Carlo Ancelotti, the current Brazil coach and former Real Madrid manager, has been sentenced to a one-year prison term by a Spanish court. The sentence addresses unpaid taxes on his image rights earnings from 2014, during his initial stint leading the Spanish club.

The court stated that while Ancelotti managed Real Madrid from 2013 to 2015 and again from 2021 onward, his tenure in 2015 was too short to establish tax liability, thus clearing him of charges for that year. He later relocated to London after his departure from Real Madrid.

Ancelotti is among several high-profile soccer figures targeted by Spanish tax authorities for alleged financial misconduct. Given that non-violent offenders with no prior convictions typically avoid serving time for sentences under two years in Spain, Ancelotti is unlikely to face jail time.

(With inputs from agencies.)