Story by Lawrence Odoom/Phalonzy
A Spanish court has sentenced Brazilian manager Carlo Ancelotti to a one-year prison term for tax evasion, but he is unlikely to serve time behind bars. Ancelotti, 66, was accused of failing to pay €1 million in taxes on his salary during his first stint as Real Madrid manager from 2013 to 2015.
The court ruled that Ancelotti must pay a fine of €386,361.93. Despite the guilty verdict, Ancelotti will not serve his prison sentence due to Spanish law, which typically allows defendants without prior convictions to avoid jail time for non-violent crimes with sentences under two years.
During his court appearance earlier this year, Ancelotti claimed he “never thought about committing fraud” and left the structuring of his salary to his financial advisors.
“I thought it was quite normal because at that time all the players and the previous coach had done the same,” he explained. Ancelotti paid back the debt in full by December 2021.
This case draws parallels with other high-profile tax evasion cases in Spain, including those of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, both of whom faced penalties for similar offenses.
Ancelotti’s sentencing has sparked widespread discussion, given his prominent role in football as the current manager of Brazil.
