Antonio Conte is the favourite to become the new manager of Real Madrid. Their boss Julen Lopetegui is likely to lose his job after a poor start to the season. A 5-1 defeat to great rivals Barcelona yesterday appears to have sealed his fate.
Conte’s potential appointment at the Bernabeu would be fantastic news for Chelsea because it would make the prospect of an Eden Hazard transfer to Real a lot less likely.
Last season, Eden Hazard had a strained relationship with Conte. The Belgian seems to be enjoying life much more after Maurizio Sarri gave him license to attack. Under Conte, he was often isolated in a primarily defensive system.
Had Conte remained the Chelsea manager, Hazard, would have tried to leave last summer.
Hazard has spent almost all of his six years at Chelsea playing in a counter-attacking side. Jose Mourinho, Rafa Benitez and Antonio Conte all value defence over attacking fluidity and freedom.
Finally, under Sarri’s management, Hazard is free to play in an attacking system. He can show his true talent to its greatest effect. There is very little chance that he will leave this Chelsea team in which he is enjoying his freedom, to play in an organised, defensive and militaristic system that Conte would use at Madrid.
It is Hazard’s dream to play for the European champions. However, the prospect of having to return to the shackles Conte would place upon him would probably make that dream far less attractive.