'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Antonio Conte guided Chelsea to a league success in his debut season in England as the Blues went on lift the title in the 2016-17 season.
The west London club and their Italian coach have failed to defend the title this term.
Pep Guardiola’s rejuvenated Manchester City have dominated the top flight club competition in England and the Etihad outfit are expected to win the title.
City is on top of the table with 75 points after 28 games, leading second-place Manchester United by 16 points. The defending champions dropped to fifth place following their 2-1 defeat to Jose Mourinho’s side and now have 53 points, two points behind Tottenham Hotspur.
Conte's men face Barcelona in the second leg of the round of 16 after the Champions League first leg at Stamford Bridge ended in a 1-1 draw.
It will be an uphill task for the English champions to beat the La Liga leaders at the Nou Camp and go on to win the European competition this term.
The Blues could be in real danger of finishing outside the top four and also qualifying for next season’s European competition.
Here is a look at five things that could happen to the Blues if they fail to seal a berth in next season’s Champions League.
#1 Thibaut Courtois moving back to Madrid
Courtois spent three seasons on loan at Atletico Madrid - from 2011 to 2014 - and has his family living in Spain. According to the Independent, he has been linked with a move to Real Madrid and admitted he could leave the Blues if Real come calling.
The Champions League's defending champions are looking to part ways with Keylor Navas in the summer.
Manchester United’s David de Gea has long been a target for Real, but the Spaniard is more likely to continue at Old Trafford beyond 2019 by signing a new contract, reports The Times. Courtois has been identified as one of the players to strengthen their goalkeeping position.
Should Chelsea fail to finish in the top four this term, the tall Belgian could leave the English capital club.
He will have only one year left on his contract in the summer and a failure to tie him down to a new deal could see him leave as a free agent a year later.
#2 Eden Hazard leaving Chelsea
Hazard is Chelsea’s most prized asset following the departure of Frank Lampard and John Terry and has long been linked with a move to Real Madrid.
The Spanish capital club has struggled in the league like Chelsea and should they fail to retain the Champions League, they are most likely to splash the cash in the upcoming summer transfer window.
The Belgium international has been on Real’s radar for a while and he is reportedly expected to replace Gareth Bale at the Santiago Bernabeu.
The Express claims Zinedine Zidane's side could use Bale in a player-plus-cash swap deal to land Hazard. The Welshman has struggled with injuries since joining the 12-time European champions in 2013. His first team appearances have drastically reduced in the last three seasons.
Hazard is contracted to Chelsea until 2020. The Blues have admitted that unless Courtois signs a new deal, he may leave and, a failure to tie down both players could see the star duo join Los Blancos in the summer.
#3 Antonio Conte’s future at Chelsea
Taking history into account, Chelsea’s hierarchy is unlikely to retain Antonio Conte as their manager beyond this season if they fail to qualify for the Champions League.
The former Juventus coach is one of the candidates for the vacant Italy job, while AC Milan is also said to be interested in bringing Conte back to Serie A.
Even before the start of this season, there were reports suggesting the 48-year-old manager was looking to leave England.
However, he put an end to the speculation surrounding his future by signing a new deal, which did not extend the length of the contract, but only improved personal terms.
If he fails to guide Chelsea to finish in top four, Conte could be shown the exit door.
The Evening Standard reports that the current manager is the first choice candidate for the Italy job. He has the experience of managing the national team before and could return to the Azzurri after this season.
#4 New manager could struggle in Premier League
Should Conte be shown the exit door, then the club will have to find a candidate who can have an instant impact like the ex-Italy coach had in his first season in charge at Chelsea as he won the title.
It also coincided with Pep Guardiola’s first season in England and Jurgen Klopp’s first full season with Liverpool. In addition to this, Jose Mourinho had just moved to Old Trafford.
These three managers have improved their respective clubs this season and they will further strengthen the squad in the summer.
Considering the way City are performing in the Premier League, it would be difficult for anyone to stop them. To make things worse, they are more likely to further strengthen the squad in the summer.
They are miles ahead and it will be difficult for United and Liverpool, who are second and third currently in the league to reduce the gap at the top.
Thus, it could be difficult for Conte’ successor to have such an impact next season.
#5 Spend heavily in the transfer window
If this report from The Daily Mail is to be believed, Hazard and Courtois are both targets for Real and if leave they leave, the Blues could struggle to challenge for the title next season.
In addition to this, they may have to spend big in order to attract top quality players to join them without Champions League football.
Considering the players that were sold in the last two transfer windows (eg: Neymar and Philippe Coutinho), the Stamford Bridge outfit may have to splash the cash in order to convince top quality players to join them in the summer.
The selling club could also hold Chelsea at ransom if they were to receive a massive fee from the sale of Hazard.
This would play in the selling club's favor, especially if the same player is also attracting interest from other top clubs in England and Europe.
