Carlo Ancelotti, the former Real Madrid manager, has been handed a 12-month prison sentence after being found guilty of tax evasion in Spain. However, due to Spanish legal provisions, the 66-year-old will not serve time behind bars.
The Italian tactician was convicted of evading €1 million in taxes during his first spell with Real Madrid, between 2014 and 2015. The case centred around undeclared earnings from image rights.
Under Spanish law, prison sentences under two years for first-time, non-violent offenders are typically suspended, meaning Ancelotti will avoid incarceration.
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Financial Penalty Imposed
Despite not serving jail time, Ancelotti has been ordered to pay a fine of over €386,000 (approximately £332,000) as part of the court’s ruling.
He was also acquitted of a second charge related to alleged tax evasion in 2015, also involving income from image rights during his tenure at Real Madrid.
Ancelotti Maintains Innocence
Ancelotti has consistently denied intentional wrongdoing. Speaking earlier this year, he said:
“This is an old story. The Prosecutor’s Office believes I was a resident in 2015, and I believe I wasn’t.
The fine has been paid, and the case is in the hands of my lawyers. I’m convinced I’m innocent. Let’s see what the judge decides.”
He acknowledged underpaying taxes in 2014, attributing it to mistakes made by former accountants, and said he had simply followed the club’s internal procedures at the time.
