In a court session, Carlo Ancelotti defended himself against serious tax evasion accusations, stating, "I never thought about committing fraud." The Italian coach is facing allegations that he failed to pay about 1 million euros (£830,000) in taxes from his Real Madrid salary between 2013 and 2015. Prosecutors are pursuing a sentence of four years and nine months in jail, along with a hefty fine totaling 3.2 million euros (£2.7 million), based on claims that Ancelotti only reported income from his salary and neglected earnings from image rights.
Ancelotti insisted that his financial dealings were managed by advisors and he believed everything was legitimate. "For me, everything was in order," he stated while explaining that Real Madrid offered him a net salary of 6 million euros (£5.1 million). He pointed out that the structure of his payments was commonplace, mentioning that numerous players and past coaches had similar arrangements. The coach argued, "For coaches, image rights don't mean the same as they do for players because they don't sell shirts."
This case highlights an ongoing concern with tax compliance in Spanish football. Ancelotti's situation echoes past controversies involving other famous athletes in Spain, including Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, both of whom faced substantial fines and legal repercussions for tax evasion. As the legal proceedings continue, Ancelotti remains firm in his stance that he acted appropriately during his time with the team.
