Eden Hazard

[Mostar]

“@ShanksGrandson: Good job it werent Torres, he'd have missed the ballboy.”

I shouldn't but

[Shaggy]

....and Terry would've shagged him......

[baitman]

the way that ballboy rolled around at the side of the pitch there may be a chance that slurgie might actually sign him and get him to play instead of ashley young.

[Liverpel]

Swansea's achievement of reaching their first-ever major cup final with a 2-0 aggregate victory over Chelsea in the Capital One Cup semi-final was overshadowed by a bizarre incident in which Chelsea's Eden Hazard was sent off for kicking a ballboy.

With just over 10 minutes of the match remaining, and with Chelsea needing to score twice to take the tie to extra-time, the Belgian lost patience when a ballboy refused to hand over the ball after it had gone out of play for a goal-kick.

The ballboy fell to the ground as Hazard attempted to get the ball, with the forward trying to kick it from under him but instead appearing to make contact with the youngster.

Several Chelsea players went to tend to the ballboy, who was left holding his ribs, before the referee, Chris Foy, produced a red card for violent conduct.

"Demba Ba told me the ballboy held on to it," the Swansea defender Ashley Williams told Sky Sports. "I saw him kick him in the rib and you can't do that to a young boy."

South Wales Police confirmed it intended to investigate the incident. In a statement chief superintendent Josh Jones, of South Wales police, said: "South Wales is aware of the incident involving a ball boy at the Liberty Stadium in Swansea tonight.

"We are making arrangements for him to be interviewed. South Wales Police takes such matters very seriously."

Chelsea's Twitter account had carried a swift reaction to the red card: "Has football gone mad? Hazard is sent off for kicking the ball under a ball boy attempting to smother the ball rather than return it."

Later the club tweeted: "Apologies for earlier ballboy tweet. Hazard has now met with the ballboy and has said sorry. #CFC".

The ballboy appeared to have a Twitter account of his own, followers to which had risen to more than 42,000 about an hour after the incident.

A tweet on the account from late on Wednesday afternoon read: "The king of all ball boys is back making his final appearance #needed #for #timewasting".

Another tweet followed: "haven't been doing it this season been ask to come back to run them because the person can't come in cos of the snow #manager".

Chelsea's manager, Rafael Benítez, said that Hazard and the ballboy had exchanged apologies in the dressing room after the match.

"They apologised to each other," he said. "They both talked. The boy knows he was wasting time. Hazard was frustrated and trying to get the ball back.

"We can not change the situation. We are disappointed because we lost a player. The best thing for us is to move forward."

The Swansea manager, Michael Laudrup, said he expected Hazard would regret the incident when he views it on television.

"I saw it from a very big distance from the bench," he said. "I've since seen it after the game. Hazard is a great player. When he sees the images I think he will regret it."

Laudrup denied the club had given the ball boys instructions to hold on to the ball when it went out of play.

"No, no. Definitely not," he said. "I think he was pushed and on top of the ball. I can understand all the frustrations when you are behind."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2013/jan/23/swansea-ballboy-eden-hazard-sent-off

[McDermotX]

[Fosterbloke]

I'd have pushed for compensation. Got some money out of the cunts.

[Assassin]

I wonder how many games Suarez will be banned for over this incident?

If it was Suarez he would have been tried and executed by the kangaroo court. However, as it is not people are coming out and defending Hazard.

Clearly what the ball boy done was wrong. But to kick someone when they are down is nothing more than an act of cowardice violence. This should be punished severely

[Fosterbloke]

Surely it's a criminal offence?

[Darkon]

Good thing that it was settled by a mutual apology, it was no major deal after all. Far to many things end up in crazy lawsuits to get money these days, when it could just have been settled like this without greed involved. Still hope Hazard get's a 3-4 match ban from the FA to set an example, and perhaps Swansea get's a minor fine for their ball boy dragging out time.

Idiotic by Hazard, but it's not a bigger deal than that after all.

[GTi]

Surely it's a criminal offence?

Kick a minor in the street in front of witnesses, let alone a TV camera and find out. Disgraceful.

[Darkon]

How many games did Carragher get when he threw a coin in to the crowd? Could it be something similar Hazard will get?

[Assassin]

How many games did Cuntona get for kicking a fan? The ban should be at least equal to that

[Exiled_red]

Good thing that it was settled by a mutual apology, it was no major deal after all. Far to many things end up in crazy lawsuits to get money these days, when it could just have been settled like this without greed involved. Still hope Hazard get's a 3-4 match ban from the FA to set an example, and perhaps Swansea get's a minor fine for their ball boy dragging out time.

Idiotic by Hazard, but it's not a bigger deal than that after all.

Surely this is violent conduct which is an automatic 3 match ban anyway?

[Red_Polo]

So did he actually kick the kid or the ball?

[Darkon]

Surely this is violent conduct which is an automatic 3 match ban anyway?

If he is charged with that

I would have thought something like unsportsmanship like conduct?