Carlo Ancelotti (66, Real Madrid), who has led the UEFA Champions League (UCL) to five victories and has become a master manager, appeared in a Spanish court on charges of tax evasion. He denied all allegations, expressing, "The suggestion that I committed fraud is the most unpleasant thing."

Major media outlets in the UK, such as the BBC and The Guardian, reported on the 2nd (Korean time) that "Carlo Ancelotti is under investigation by the Spanish prosecutor for failing to pay taxes of about 1 million euros (about 1.5 billion won)."

The allegation is said to have arisen between 2013 and 2015 when he first managed Real Madrid. The prosecutor is seeking a sentence of 4 years and 9 months in prison and a fine of 3.2 million euros (about 5 billion won) against Ancelotti.

Ancelotti testified personally in the local court, denying any intent to evade taxes. He claimed, "I only focused on receiving a net profit of 6 million dollars (about 8.7 billion won) for three years," and stated, "I have never even received a notification of an investigation from the tax authorities."

Regarding revenue from image rights, he explained, "I received about 15% of my salary from Real Madrid as revenue from image rights. It was a very common contractual method at the time, and I judged it to be fine after consulting with a British advisor."

He added, "The fact that I am here now could mean that the proper procedures were not followed in the end."

■ "The word fraud is the most unpleasant"… Rejection of any intention to settle

According to a report by Germany's Bild on the 2nd, Ancelotti stated while appearing in the Madrid court, "I believe in the law and justice. I am not worried," and when questioned by reporters on site about whether he was willing to negotiate a settlement with the prosecutor, he firmly replied, "No."

The trial took place about 9 hours after Real Madrid faced Real Sociedad in the Copa del Rey semifinals, drawing further attention. Bild reported, "In that match, Real Madrid advanced to the finals following a dramatic goal by Antonio Rüdiger, resulting in a 4-4 draw."

In Spain, numerous football stars, including Ancelotti, have faced legal repercussions related to taxes on image rights. Lionel Messi and his father were sentenced to 21 months in prison in 2016 for tax evasion but avoided actual imprisonment due to being first-time offenders. Cristiano Ronaldo acknowledged the charges and agreed to pay a fine of 18.8 million euros (about 30 billion won) and receive a 23-month suspended sentence. José Mourinho and Diego Costa have also received fines in the past.

■ The unshakable career of a top European coach, but legal battles loom

Carlo Ancelotti is regarded as the top master manager among active coaches in Europe. He has won the Champions League five times in total (2003, 2007, 2014, 2022, 2024) and has lifted trophies in all five major European leagues, starting from Italy's Serie A, then the Premier League, La Liga, and Ligue 1.

This legal issue could potentially cast a shadow over his career. A specific verdict is expected to be determined in future trials, and if found guilty, it may impact his future activities.

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