As announced by the Spanish high court, there will be a ruling on Carlo Ancelotti’s trial on Wednesday for tax fraud dating back to the years 2014 and 2015. The Real Madrid boss faces charges of failing to declare income related to his image rights.
According to the Madrid state prosecutor’s office, the 65-year-old Italian did not declare more than €1 million (£854,000) in income while working as Real Madrid’s coach during that time. Ancelotti is accused of declaring only his salary at the club but reportedly using a “complex” network of shell firms to disguise earnings from image rights and property.
A Spanish court had ordered Ancelotti to be tried in 2023, but the case was postponed. The trial will reportedly be for two days and the Italian coach has to attend for the hearings.
Ancelotti, who won a record five Champions League titles as a manager — three of them with Real Madrid — initially dismissed the claims as “an old story” and expressed hope that a resolution would be found. He first coached Real Madrid from 2013 to 2015 and returned in 2021 after stints at Bayern Munich, Napoli and Everton.
The veteran coach has won domestic league titles in Spain, England, Italy, Germany, and France and is one of football’s most prolific managers.