Carlo Ancelotti, the head coach of Real Madrid, recently found himself in court in Spain addressing tax evasion allegations. The Italian football manager, who took charge of Real for a second time in 2021, is accused of not paying approximately 1 million euros (£830,000) in taxes related to his salary while managing from 2013 to 2015.
Prosecutors are pushing for a hefty punishment, including a prison sentence of four years and nine months, along with a fine of 3.2 million euros (£2.7 million). Ancelotti insists he only reported his salary and neglected to declare earnings from image rights, which is at the heart of the prosecution's claims.
During his testimony, Ancelotti expressed that he believed everything was correctly handled, saying, "For me, everything was in order." He also clarified that his net salary at Real was 6 million euros (£5.1 million) and that he relied on financial advisors to manage his tax obligations.
The coach pointed out that image rights for managers differ from players since they don't boost shirt sales. Ancelotti is not alone in facing these challenges as several prominent figures in Spanish football have encountered similar tax issues in the past, including Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
