Real Madrid’s iconic coach, Carlo Ancelotti, is set to stand trial next week over allegations of tax fraud.
Spanish prosecutors are seeking a four-year and nine-month jail sentence for the 65-year-old Italian, accusing him of failing to declare more than one million euros ($1.1 million) in image rights earnings in 2014 and 2015.
The trial is scheduled to begin on Wednesday and is expected to last two days, according to a court spokesperson. Ancelotti, who has won a record five Champions League titles as a coach—including three with Real Madrid—must be present for the hearings.
Prosecutors allege that while Ancelotti declared his salary from Real Madrid during those years, he failed to report income from his image rights despite claiming tax residency in Spain and listing Madrid as his home.
They further accuse him of using a “confusing” and “complex” network of shell companies to conceal these earnings, including revenue from real estate.
A Spanish court initially ordered Ancelotti to stand trial in 2023, though a date had not been set until now.
When asked about the case last year, Ancelotti dismissed it as “an old story” and expressed hope for a quick resolution.
Ancelotti first took charge at Real Madrid in 2013 before leaving in May 2015. He later managed Bayern Munich, Napoli, and Everton before returning to Madrid in 2021.
