Eden Hazard apologises for kicking ball boy

Chelsea’s Eden Hazard has apologised kicking a ball boy during their League Cup exit to Swansea.

The Belgian was trying to retrieve the ball from under the ball boy who had fallen on top of it.

Hazard, who was shown a straight red card by referee Chris Foy, later told Chelsea TV: “The boy put his whole body on to the ball and I was just trying to kick the ball.

“I think I kicked the ball and not the boy. I apologise.”

South Wales Police said no action would be taken against Hazard.

I watched the game last night and was surprised at what I saw, for the entirety of the game the ball boys for Swansea were deliberately slow in returning the ball to the players, and the FA should investigate Swansea for that.

Then we come to the incident, Hazard was wrong to take the bait and kick at ball but the ball boy decided, without any contact from Hazard, to dive on top of the ball and then smother it and do all he could to stop him from retrieving it.

Hazard kicked the ball not the boy the ball, if you watch the replay the ball boy holds his ribs for a bit looks up at the ref gesturing did you see that punish him and then goes back to rolling around, so he was clearly feigning the whole thing.

The referee, Chris Foy, adding to the comedy of errors decided that Hazard should be sent off for violent conduct, what’s he put in his match report sent Hazard off for kicking the ball.

South Wales Police have said no action would be taken, but the fact that they even considered it is stupid enough.

In the aftermath of it all it is worth remembering Swansea are actually through to the League Cup final, which hopefully Bradford will win because after watching them get to the final you felt the magic of cup football, whereas when the game ended last night the whole thing felt rather sour.