Carlo Ancelotti breaks silence on tax fraud allegations after RB Leipzig draw

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has addressed allegations of tax fraud made against him by Spanish state prosecutors.

Associated Press reported on Monday morning that Spanish prosecutors had requested a prison sentence of four years and nine months for the Italian manager if he is found guilty of allegations of defrauding the Treasury.

The charges relate to Ancelotti's first spell in charge of Real Madrid between 2014 and 2015.

He has been accused of two counts of tax fraud of over €1 million, and it is alleged that he 'only declared income he received from Real Madrid and did not declare income from image rights'.

He is said to have not paid the required tax during that time period, despite being registered as a resident in Spain for tax purposes.

Speaking after Real's 1-1 draw with RB Leipzig on Wednesday - a result that sends them into the Champions League quarter-finals via a 2-1 aggregate scoreline - Ancelotti broke his silence on the allegations made against him.

He stated: "It's an old story, from 2015.

"The Prosecutor's Office thinks I was a resident of Spain [at that time] and I wasn't.

"The money is already in the Prosecutor's Office. Now it's up to the lawyer to find a solution.

"I am convinced that I was not a resident and that I am innocent. Let's see what the judge says."

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On the pitch, Real secured a relatively safe passage through to the last eight of the Champions League after Vinicius Junior's second half strike.

Leipzig captain Willi Orban halved the aggregate scoreline with a 68th-minute header, but Ancelotti's side held on to book their place in the next round.

They will look to add to their 14 European Cup victories this term, having last lifted the trophy after beating Liverpool 1-0 in the 2022 final.