Real Madrid’s decision to overlook Antonio Conte is terrible news for Chelsea’s hopes of keeping Eden Hazard

PLENTY of Chelsea fans were keen to see Antonio Conte lose his last job.

But many more may be starting to worry about the consequences of the Italian not getting the job he looked set to take this week.

The news that player power, led by Sergio Ramos, and his own contract demands, scuppered Conte’s anticipated move into the Real Madrid hotseat forcibly vacated by Julen Lopategui will have been noted by the Chelsea hierarchy.

Initially, there may have been a wry smile. After all, Conte’s compensation payments from the Blues would have been halted if he had started employment elsewhere.

Inside Chelsea, though, there would have been the recognition that Real had also dodged a bullet.

Conte is a managerial arsonist, a man who cannot see a flame without acting to dump a vat of oil on it.

But Chelsea will also have known that Conte’s arrival in Madrid would have opened the door for the Blues to step up contract negotiations with their star asset, Eden Hazard.

Hazard has never even attempted to hide his view that there is one club he would love to play for when he decides to quit Stamford Bridge.

Had Zinedine Zidane stayed at Real Madrid last summer, rather than decided three Champions League wins on the spin added up to time to depart, it is more than possible he would be wearing the famous white shirt now.

The dream move, though, will not be considered if it comes at the cost of a nightmare.

And, for Hazard as well as a few others, Conte is the stuff of nightmares.

Hazard felt constrained and frustrated by Conte’s tactical blueprint, despairing of the straitjacket the Italian imposed on his entire squad.

It seems inconceivable that the Belgian would have contemplated working under the Italian again, even at the Bernabeu.

Another boss - whether interim Santiago Solari or anybody else - would change that dynamic and give Hazard an excuse to put any proposed Chelsea negotiations further on ice.

So far, Hazard had been prepared to play a waiting game, mulling over when it might be time to press the button and make it clear that he wanted to move to Madrid.

That would have been “never” if Conte had been made a permanent appointment.

It still may not come.

Hazard is aware that, at Chelsea, he is revered and respected.

Yes, there will have been a huge sense of satisfaction for Maurizio Sarri and his men that the Blues proved they can play scintillating football even without their star man in the thumping win at Burnley.

But Hazard is the magic dust, the player who can transform a match.

Chelsea will not want to lose him, under any circumstances.

The possibility, though, may have just become more of a realistic one. Just as Chelsea thought Conte’s move was set to close it down.