So brutal, it was at times embarrassing.

In fact, scrap that. This was horrendous from start to finish. As bad as Chelsea have played in any competition for a long, long time.

Roma hit three and should have had five. The team fifth in Serie A, seven points off leaders Napoli, outclassed the Premier League champions here.

At times you watched through your fingers as the Chelsea defence was opened up and Eusebio Di Francesco’s side filled their boots. This was the kind of abomination that gets managers the sack.

What a homecoming for ­Antonio Conte. What a ­humiliation for the man who carried all before him in Italy with three titles as ­Juventus head coach.

His stock will always be high here, given his Euro 2016 ­heroics with an average ­national side. But the ­chickens are once again coming home to roost for Chelsea.

One year brilliant, the next a basket case. It’s happening again in SW6.

All the politics, all the ­summer brinkmanship, all the simmering tensions over transfers were brought once again to the fore as Conte's players were torn apart.

Stefan El Shaarawy celebrates his goal against Chelsea (
Image:
Getty Images Europe)

He may claim this shambolic night at the office justified his constant calls for reinforcements. He’d probably have had a case if it had been Bayern ­Munich or Barcelona that had seen his team off.

But this was Roma. A good side but no world beaters. So why were Conte's champions so poorly organised? Why were they so sloppy, so off the pace?

Two weeks ago, as Watford ran rings around them, it looked as though Conte had lost his players.

Their fightback that day was an emphatic statement to the contrary. Bournemouth last weekend was another big step in the right direction. But here Chelsea were shambolic. On TV, the ex-pros put the boot in. The decision to sell Nemanja Matic, strengthening Manchester United in the ­process, was put under the microscope.

Rightly so. Because without N’Golo Kante, not yet ready to ­return from injury, Chelsea are there for the taking. Conte claimed on Monday that his reigning ­Footballer of the Year had trained ahead of Bournemouth and again before this tie on Monday.

Antonio Conte has much to ponder ahead of Manchester United's visit (
Image:
Getty Images Europe)

He’d been unwilling to risk him both times, however, ahead of ­Manchester United on Sunday. How he must regret that decision now.

Kante would have stopped ­Stephan El Shaarawy ramming the ball home after just 39 seconds from Edin Dzeko’s knockdown. Kante would have intercepted Radja Nainggolan’s ball into the box, nine minutes before the break, ­instead of allowing it to drift past him as Antonio Rudiger did for El Shaarawy’s second.

Kante would have stopped Diego Perotti receiving the ball from ­Aleksandar Kolarov in midfield, leaving Pedro in his wake, and r­amming it into the bottom corner for 3-0.

Then you’ve got the late sitters missed by both Perotti and sub ­Kostas Manolas, who allowed Thibaut Courtois to save his point-blank header. This could have been even worse for Conte and his men.

The reality is that ­Chelsea are a side on the ropes. Kante indicated here last night that he is not even sure to make the United game.

If that’s true and Jose Mourinho goes for it, Conte could again be in trouble. The nightmare is far from over for the Chelsea boss.

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