Carlo Ancelotti Receives One-Year Prison Sentence for Tax Evasion

MADRID, Spain – A Madrid court sentenced Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti to a one-year prison term on Wednesday for failing to pay taxes on his image rights revenues while he was the manager of Real Madrid in 2014.

The court also imposed a fine of €386,000 (approximately $375,000) on Ancelotti, according to the official statement released by the court.

Spanish law stipulates that sentences under two years for non-violent crimes typically do not require defendants without prior convictions to serve time in jail. Thus, Ancelotti is likely to receive a suspended sentence.

Prosecutors had originally sought a more severe penalty, aiming for four years and nine months of imprisonment along with a fine of €3.2 million ($3.7 million). They argued that Ancelotti reported only his salary from Real Madrid on his Spanish tax returns for 2014 and 2015, omitting significant income from image rights.

Ancelotti is among several high-profile sports figures investigated by Spanish tax authorities. Other cases, including those of notable players like Diego Costa, have been settled out of court, often involving large fines.

In a contrasting outcome, the Supreme Court in 2023 upheld the acquittal of coach Xabi Alonso, who chose to fight his charges and maintained his innocence.