Former Real Madrid manager will not serve actual jail time and can pay the fine to meet the sentence
Former Real Madrid manager and current Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti has been sentenced to one year in prison and fined €386,000 by a Madrid court after being convicted of tax fraud.
The conviction relates to undeclared income from his 2014 image rights. Spanish prosecutors argued that Ancelotti concealed over €1m in earnings using offshore companies in tax havens such as the Virgin Islands.
Ancelotti admitted to using shell corporations at the club’s recommendation but claimed he believed his finances were compliant.
“I never realised something wasn’t right,” the Italian told the court during his April trial. The judge absolved him of charges related to 2015 after finding insufficient evidence of residency at the time.
Under Spanish law, first-time non-violent offenders receiving sentences under two years typically avoid prison. The ruling classifies Ancelotti’s offence as a tax-related misdemeanour, meaning he will not serve actual jail time and can pay the fine to meet the sentence.
Ancelotti joins a list of high-profile football figures penalised for similar offences in Spain, including Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Jose Mourinho and Diego Costa, none of whom served time behind bars.
The 66-year-old Ancelotti is regarded as one of the most successful coaches in modern football. He has won five Champions League titles and league titles in England, Spain, Italy, Germany and France.
Despite the ruling, his managerial credentials remain intact, with his current focus on leading Brazil to victory in next year’s FIFA World Cup.
