Real Madrid coach 'Carlo Ancelotti' facing up to five years in prison for alleged tax fraud (1 Viewer)

[MartinGee]

The Spanish Prosecutor's Office has made a significant move by calling for Real Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti to face a prison sentence of four years and nine months over alleged tax fraud.

Ancelotti, aged 64, is currently in his second stint as manager of the Spanish powerhouse, having previously managed the club from June 2013 to May 2015, before taking a break and later coaching Bayern Munich.

According to Spanish state prosecutors, Ancelotti is accused of using shell companies to conceal parts of his income during his initial tenure as head coach. The allegations involve his failure to declare income from image rights for the years 2014 and 2015, totaling €1,062,079 (£907,573).

"He thus pursued the opacity to the Spanish Public Treasury and the concealment of the real beneficiary of the income from his image rights, so that neither he himself nor any of said companies would have to pay taxes on the large amounts received in Spain or abroad," read the official documentation.

The report also stated "in order to avoid taxation on the income from said image rights" he used a "complex" and "confusing" network of trusts and companies.

Journalist Edu Aguirre reports that Carlo Ancelotti remains "calm" despite the recent developments, expressing confidence that he has not engaged in any wrongdoing. Ancelotti's legal team is reportedly handling the situation, though neither Ancelotti nor Real Madrid has released an official statement addressing the allegations.

During his initial tenure as Real Madrid's manager, Ancelotti achieved significant success, including winning the Copa del Rey, Champions League, UEFA Super Cup, and Club World Cup. Since returning to the Bernabeu in June 2021, he has continued to enjoy success with the club.