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Carlo Ancelotti faces trial in Spain over alleged tax fraud
The Real Madrid coach stands accused of failing to declare over €1m in image rights earnings
Carlo Ancelotti, the manager of Real Madrid, is set to appear in court in Spain this Wednesday April 2 to face allegations of tax fraud. Spanish prosecutors claim that the 65-year-old failed to declare more than €1 million in earnings from image rights in 2014 and 2015, using offshore companies to obscure the true recipient of the funds.
Authorities argue that despite being registered as a tax resident in Spain at the time, Ancelotti only reported his salary from Real Madrid, omitting substantial revenue generated from his image rights. According to the prosecution, the undeclared earnings amounted to €1.24 million in 2014 and €2.96 million in 2015, with an alleged tax shortfall of €1,062,079. If found guilty, the Italian coach could face a prison sentence of 4 years and 9 months.
Ancelotti, the most decorated coach in Champions League history, has firmly denied any wrongdoing and expressed confidence in the legal system. Speaking last Friday, he stated, "I fully trust in the law and the judicial process. It is frustrating to be accused of fraud, but I remain confident that justice will prevail. I am eager to testify and clear my name."
Ancelotti is not the first high-profile football figure to be scrutinised by Spanish tax authorities. Over the past decade, several well-known players and managers have faced legal action for tax-related offences. In 2016, Lionel Messi and his father, Jorge, were handed 21-month prison sentences, later converted to fines, after failing to declare over €4 million in image rights revenue. Similarly, Cristiano Ronaldo reached a settlement with Spanish tax authorities in 2018, agreeing to pay €18.8 million in fines and accepting a suspended 23-month sentence.
Former Real Madrid coach José Mourinho also encountered legal trouble, receiving a one-year suspended sentence and paying €2.2 million in fines for tax evasion during his tenure at the club. Diego Costa, then playing for Atlético Madrid, settled a case in 2020 by paying over half a million euros after being accused of failing to declare significant earnings from his transfer to Chelsea in 2014.
Tax issues in Spain have not been limited to football. Colombian singer Shakira faced a lengthy legal battle over accusations of tax evasion amounting to €14.5 million between 2012 and 2014. In November 2023, she reached a settlement, agreeing to pay over €7.3 million plus additional fines to avoid a three-year prison sentence. Her former partner, ex-Barcelona defender Gerard Piqué, was also ordered to pay €2.1 million in back taxes in 2019, though Spain's supreme court later overturned the decision.
The High Court of Catalonia recently overturned the conviction of former Barcelona player Dani Alves, who had previously been sentenced to 4 years and 6 months in prison for sexual assault following an incident at a Barcelona nightclub in 2022. The ruling, made in March 2025, has further intensified public debate on Spain's judicial decisions.
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