Antonio Conte has not even been offered the job yet but there is already friction with Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos.
Asked about a new coach coming in with a hard line approach – a clear reference to the Italian – Ramos said: 'Respect is something that is earned not imposed. You know which coaches we have won trophies with.'
That was Ramos reminding everyone that the club's recent Champions League trophies have come with mild-mannered Carlo Ancelotti or even more mild-mannered Zinedine Zidane in charge.
Jose Mourinho's reign ended with no European success and an awful lot of animosity and when Rafa Benitez replaced Ancelotti his time in charge was almost as brief as Julen Lopetegui's looks like being.
Ramos famously fell out spectacularly with Mourinho. His doubts about Conte will be heard but ignored because Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has decided the dressing room needs a disciplinarian just as it did in 2010 when he appointed Mourinho.
Perez would bring Mourinho back if he could but the fact that he remains in charge at Old Trafford, and that his appointment would not be universally welcomed, means Conte could be called in to do much the same – impose tactical order, get the players fitter and erase the memory of a Real Madrid side that rolled over at the Nou Camp, as quickly as possible.
If Madrid succeed in hiring Conte, and it remains a considerable if, it could be a bumpy ride for all involved. It could also spell the end of their interest in signing Eden Hazard.
The Belgian has made no secret of wanting to join Real Madrid at the end of the season but Conte's appointment would make it more likely he ends up signing a new deal with Chelsea.
The two fell out in Conte's final year with Hazard exasperated by the manager playing him as a false nine and then questioning his commitment when he struggled in the role.
Even if Ramos welcomes the new man and Hazard never arrives, confrontation will come from somewhere. He is used to revitalising underachievers. From the days of winning promotion with Sienna to ending Juventus' nine-year spell without a league title to turning Chelsea around in record time.
But he does so by favouring physical players who are tactically disciplined and unlikely to question the manager's methods. As one Italian journalist who has followed Conte's career told Sportsmail: He wants Navy SEALS not performing seals.'
The physical demands will be tough on Isco and Karim Benzema who might find they make way for robust alternatives, although Madrid's squad has gone four summers without major investment and does not lend itself to so many tactical variations.
For that reason he may also have to steer clear of his favoured formation. He changed Juventus to three at the back midway through his first season and he switched Chelsea the same way after a 3-0 loss to Arsenal. He also used the 3-5-2 with Italy at Euro 2016.
Dani Carvajal and Alvaro Odriozola could play as wing backs and Marcelo would relish the extra freedom to get forward but Madrid's squad only really boasts three centre backs so Nacho, Ramos and Raphael Varane would have to play every game. It would also make it more difficult to keep the midfielders happy. Toni Kroos, Luka Modric, Dani Ceballos and Casemiro would be contesting two spots in the team.
Just as at Chelsea and Juventus, there will surely be an early attempt to play with a flat back four if he arrives.
The club will want him to nurture young players too. Ceballos is highly thought of. The Uruguayan midfielder Fede Valverde and the Brazilian forward Vinicius are also players the president wants to see in the team. He helped Paul Pogba become a fixture and the hope is that he would do the same for Madrid's finest young players.
Vinicius is, of course, Brazilian, like Casemiro and Marcelo. They would hope to fare better than Diego Costa, Willian and Oscar at Stamford Bridge. Marcelo's three goals in the last three games demonstrate how he has kept going for under-fire Lopetegui and Casemiro is a soldier too. Conte will embrace such commitment. He is more likely to get tied up in a political battle with Ramos or frustrated by the frivolity of some of Isco's play than want to take on players who can be relied upon to perform consistently.
In a season when the remit is simply to win the league, Conte's dose of discipline and order could be accepted. Long-term his abrasive style might jar but then coaches and the long term rarely go together at Real Madrid.
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