When Antonio Conte strides out at Stamford Bridge tonight for the first time since he was sacked as Chelsea manager in 2018, his heart rate will go up a notch.

Memories of the fans singing his name during his title-winning first season will come flooding back.

But the way things unravelled during a tumultuous second season was just as unforgettable. 

Antonio Conte will face his former side Chelsea in the Carabao Cup semifinal on Wednesday

‘We did a fantastic job with Chelsea, but sometimes it’s not enough,’ said Tottenham boss Conte, ahead of his return to the Bridge for tonight’s Carabao Cup semi-final first leg.

Player recruitment was the main bone of contention between Conte and the board, creating tensions that were so severe there was only going to be one outcome.

The summer of 2017 should have been one of gratification following the title win. Instead, Conte was at odds with those above him as Antonio Rudiger, Alvaro Morata, Danny Drinkwater, Davide Zappacosta and Tiemoue Bakayoko were signed. 

Not all of them were his targets. Conte had wanted Harry Kane or Romelu Lukaku instead of Morata and preferred Kyle Walker to Zappacosta.

For their part, Chelsea were livid at how Conte had dealt with the departure of Diego Costa. 

Conte — angered by the striker’s attempts to move to China six months earlier — texted Costa to tell him he no longer featured in his plans.

Conte was furious that the club seemed to be disregarding his recruitment advice. He felt he had earned the right to greater input. But that is not the Chelsea way. 

Equally, Conte can point to the fact that from that £190million spend, only Rudiger could be deemed a success.

His ire over recruitment surfaced on the opening day of his second season as he started 20-year-old academy player Jeremie Boga in a defeat by Burnley, with untested youngsters Fikayo Tomori, Charly Musonda and Kyle Scott on the bench. 

It was a show of Conte’s disgruntlement and it was received loud and clear by the Chelsea hierarchy.

The painful road to his exit had begun. In many ways, it was remarkable Conte lasted so long. 

Doubts had emerged inside the club about his suitability after a run of four games without a win at the start of his first season.

Chelsea regrouped and Conte’s side won the title. But 12 months later, even after FA Cup glory, Conte and Chelsea were sick of each other. He returned for pre-season despite knowing the club had no intention to keep him.

It was as if Chelsea wanted the last laugh. The Italian will hope to laugh last and loudest tonight.