Tag: Ancelotti

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti  has told a Spanish court he had believed his tax affairs were legal as he testified in a trial in which he is accused of failing to pay 1 million euros ($1.08 million) in tax on image rights revenue.

“For me, everything was in order,” Ancelotti said. “I never thought about committing fraud.”

The Reuters Daily Briefing newsletter provides all the news you need to start your day. Sign up here.

Taking the stand on the first day of the trial, the Italian said that when joining the Spanish team he had been offered a net salary of 6 million euros and had left it up to the club and his British adviser how that was structured.

“I thought it was quite normal because at that time all the players and the previous coach had (done the same),” added Ancelotti, who testified for around 40 minutes.

He is the latest of several soccer celebrities to be investigated by the Spanish tax authority for alleged tax fraud.

Read Also: Ancelotti tips Mbappe as Madrid ‘legend’ like Ronaldo

While some leading players such as Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Spain’s Diego Costa have settled out of court with large fines, others such as Bayer Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso decided to defend their innocence in court.

The prosecutor is seeking a prison term of four years and nine months for Ancelotti and a fine of 3.2 million euros for two counts of tax evasion in 2014 and 2015.

It argues that he had only reported the salary he was paid by Real Madrid and had omitted income from his image rights in his tax returns.

Ancelotti said that image rights were not significant for coaches in the way they are for players.

“For coaches (image rights) don’t mean the same as they do for players because they don’t sell shirts,” he added.

Before the hearing, the prosecutor said Spain’s tax authority had seized the debt plus interest from Ancelotti.

The parties could reach an out-of-court agreement at any point in the process. A verdict is expected in a few weeks.

Ancelotti’s wife Mariann, son Davide and stepdaughter Chloe also testified on Wednesday.

Ancelotti, a former player who was capped 26 times for Italy and played in the 1990 World Cup, returned to Real Madrid for a second stint as coach in 2021.

He has won the Champions League five times as a coach, twice with AC Milan and three times with Real.

Real Madrid will be without forward Vinicius Jr for the second LaLiga game in a row, but manager Carlo Ancelotti said  that though the Brazilian international is important, the team know how to win without him.

Vinicius, who was suspended for two games after his red card against Valencia, will not play at Real Valladolid today after also missing out on Real’s 4-1 win over Las Palmas at home last weekend.

“They (people) have forgotten that without Vini we have won two Champions Leagues, he is an undisputed player,” Ancelotti told reporters. “The player is the same as always, it’s good for him to have some days of recovery… to take advantage of and be fresher at the most important moment of the season.”

Read Also: Ancelotti defends Vinicius ahead of Super Cup clash

Vinicius has been linked with a move away in the January transfer window but Ancelotti said the 24-year-old is content at the LaLiga club and wants to continue.

“What is difficult for me, since I have direct information about the player, is that he is very happy here and wants to make history at Madrid. We are happy here and we want to make history,” the 65-year-old manager said.

Vinicius has been linked in Spanish media reports with a switch to Saudi Arabia with an offer of more than $550 million.

The fans should expect the unexpected when Real Madrid face Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final tomorrow, Real coach Carlo Ancelotti said after his team outclassed Mallorca in the semi-finals.

Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo scored second-half goals to help Real to a 3-0 win over Mallorca after Barcelona beat Athletic Bilbao 2-0 in the other last-four clash.

“The Clasico has been unpredictable lately,” Ancelotti told reporters. “There were games we won easily, like the 4-1 last year in the Super Cup. We also won 4-0 twice in Barcelona while they beat us 4-0 at the Bernabeu.

Read Also: NFF: Eguavoen to assist Eagles Malian coach Chelle

“It’s hard to think what kind of game the next one will be. It will be entertaining because there is quality on the pitch. And obviously we want to end up being better than Barcelona.”

Real took time to open the scoring against last year’s Copa del Rey finalists Mallorca, who sit sixth in the LaLiga standings 13 points off leaders Real.

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has heaped praise on Botafogo following Saturday’s 3-1 Copa Libertadores final victory over Atletico Mineiro with 10 men after Gregore was sent off after 30 seconds and hopes they meet in the Intercontinental Cup final.

Ancelotti said that he was happy to see a club like Botafogo, where Brazil greats including Garrincha, Jairzinho, Gerson and Carlos Alberto Torres played, win their first continental title and a place in the Intercontinental Cup.

The FIFA tournament, contested by the champions of all six confederations, has been revamped into a new format.

Libertadores title holders Botafogo will play CONCACAF champions Pachuca for the right to face the African-Asian-Pacific Cup winners Al Ahly. European champions Real await in the final which will be held in Doha on Dec. 18.

“I watched the match (Libertadores final) live and really enjoyed it,” Ancelotti told a press conference. “It was a fantastic atmosphere, I was mesmerised. An incredible first minute of the game, with that incredible flying kick (that earned Gregore a red card).

“Then the team’s (Botafogo’s) attitude and commitment were extraordinary. They played a fantastic match down to 10 men. I’m very happy for Allan who won the Libertadores with Botafogo, which is a historic team in Brazilian football.”

Read Also: CHAN  Eagles: Veteran  Rabiu Ali headlines invitees  for Ghana

Botafogo’s 33-year-old defensive midfielder Allan played under Ancelotti at Napoli and Everton.

“For them to be able to finally win the Libertadores for the first time … yes, I was delighted,” added the Italian. “I know they still have a couple of games to fight for and reach the (Intercontinental Cup) final but yes, it would be great if it’s them against us.”

As well as a spot in the Intercontinental Cup, Botafogo also earned a place in the expanded 2025 Club World Cup being hosted by the United States which Real Madrid qualified for by winning a record-extending 15th European Cup earlier this year.

Turning to LaLiga, Ancelotti said he was glad his injury-plagued Real side had been able to remain in contention despite missing several key players as they prepare to visit fourth-placed Athletic Bilbao today.

Ancelotti confirmed that midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni had fully recovered from an ankle injury and will be available.

“To have Aurelien back is really important because of his role, so versatile defensively, can play as a centre-back or holding midfielder,” added the Italian. “Also, his height is key for us while defending set pieces, an important aspect of the game in which we have suffered since Eder Militao went down (with a season-ending ACL tear).”

LaLiga leaders Barcelona have failed to win in their last three league games and are on 34 points, having seen a nine-point lead cut to one point over second-placed Real, who have a game in hand, and two ahead of Atletico Madrid in third.

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said he was confident his side could overcome Bayern Munich today  to reach the Champions League final.

The record 14-time winners snatched a 2-2 draw in the first leg of the semi-final clash in Munich with Vinicius Junior scoring a brace.

 “I am confident because this is Real Madrid, we have this squad, I’m confident in the fans who will help us,” Ancelotti told a news conference . “We think we’ve got it better, but (Bayern coach Thomas) Tuchel will think he does too.”

Ancelotti admitted German giants Bayern, six-time winners, were the superior side in the first leg draw at the Allianz Arena.

 “These are similar clubs, they have great history and a lot of success in the Champions League,” continued the Italian coach.

 “We respect them… they did better than us in the first leg.”

The coach confirmed Andriy Lunin would start in goal despite Thibaut Courtois returning from injury and keeping a clean sheet as Madrid clinched their La Liga crown this weekend.

Read Also: Corona, Riverbank, Grange shine at Zenith Bank  Inter-School Swimming

The Belgian stopper had been out since last summer with a bad knee injury.

 “The plan for a player coming back from injury does not change because of one game,” said Ancelotti.

 “Courtois is doing well but he needs time to get back to his best self – he had an ideal game.”

Madrid defender Dani Carvajal said the team was right to avoid celebrating their title success on Saturday.

 “Not celebrating was the best thing to do, there’s a vital game and there will be time to celebrate at the weekend, that’s why we took that decision,” said the Spain international.

“We’re having a great year, we’re very excited for the Champions League, we’re two games away from lifting it again.

 “The dressing room knows it – in the streets they’re giving us encouragement so we can dream of our 15th.”

Various long-standing Madrid players could leave at the end of the season after years spent at the club, with Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Lucas Vazquez and Nacho Fernandez all out of contract in the summer.

 “It’s hard to know what will happen… I hope not, but some will be living their final Champions League match at the Bernabeu,” added Carvajal.“I hope it’s a Madrid victory.”

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti was unflappable when asked about a UEFA Champions League quarter-final pairing with Manchester City.

A meeting in the last eight means the two sides will face off for the third season in a row following some epic battles.

Ancelotti’s charges pulled off an incredible comeback in the 2022 semi-finals, to win the tie 6-5 on aggregate, before going on to win the final.

Read Also: Ancelotti risks  four-year jail term over tax

Pep Guardiola secured revenge last season, with a 4-0 second-leg victory in Manchester as the Premier League champions powered on to a first-ever Champions League crown.

 “They’re the rival that everyone considers to be the favourite. It will be a difficult tie, but in Madrid, we have the confidence to do well. The return leg in Manchester is something else”, as per Marca.

“To win this competition, you have to beat the best. I think it will be similar to previous years. One year we won, and the other they won, we’ll see how it goes.”

 Spanish prosecutors has called for Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti to be jailed for four years and nine months, saying he had failed to declare earnings to the tax office.

Madrid state prosecutor’s office accused the 64-year-old Italian of having cost Spain’s treasury more than one million euros in undeclared earnings from image rights in 2014 and 2015.

 “Although he himself declared himself to be a tax resident in Spain and indicated that his home was in Madrid, he only declared in his tax returns the personal remuneration received from Real Madrid,” the tax office said in a statement.

It accused Ancelotti of allegedly setting up a “confusing” and “complex” system of shell companies to hide his extra earnings from his image rights as well as from other sources such as real estate.

Prosecutors also alleged the Real Madrid coach “simulated” the transfer of his image rights to entities “without any real activity” based outside of Spain to maintain “opacity vis-a-vis” the Spanish treasury.

He earned 1.24 million euros ($1.3 million) in 2014 from the sale of his image rights and 2.96 million euros in 2015, according to prosecutors.

A Spanish court in July ordered Ancelotti – regarded as one of the greatest coaches of all time – to stand trial over the affair, but no date has been set.

A judge leading the investigation said Ancelotti had “acknowledged” the actions which deprived the treasury of money, according to a 2023 court document seen by AFP last year, which could open the door to an agreement with prosecutors to settle the case without trial and avoid prison.

Read Also: Police Service Commission promotes 1607 DSPs

Spain has cracked down in recent years on top football players who have not paid their due.

Star players Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were both found guilty of tax evasion and received prison sentences that were waived for being first-time offenders.

Former Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho received a one-year suspended sentence after reaching a guilty plea for tax fraud in 2019.

Colombian superstar artist Shakira in November agreed to receive a three-year suspended sentence and pay 7.3 million euros in fines to settle a tax fraud case and avoid trial.

Prosecutors had accused the “Hips Don’t Lie” singer of defrauding the Spanish state of 14.5 million euros ($15.7 million) on income earned between 2012 and 2014, charges Shakira had denied, saying she only moved to Spain full time in 2015.

Ancelotti took over at Real Madrid in 2013, leaving in May 2015, before being appointed at Bayern Munich the following year.

He later managed Napoli and Everton before returning to Real Madrid in 2021.

Ancelotti had been tipped to coach Brazil’s national team when his contract with Real Madrid ended but instead in December he extended it to June 2026.

Ancelotti has won the Champions League four times – twice with AC Milan and on two occasions with Real Madrid.

He has won domestic league titles with Madrid and Milan, in England with Chelsea, in Germany with Bayern Munich and in France with Paris Saint-Germain.