Hazard apologises for kicking 17-year-old ball boy

Chelsea’s Eden Hazard has apologised for kicking a ball boy during his side’s Capital One Cup defeat at Swansea, the BBC reports. The Belgian forward was trying to retrieve the ball from under the ball boy, who had fallen on top of it. Hazard, who was sent off by referee Chris Foy, 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 say they will investigate the incident, which happened when the ball went out for a goal kick in the 80th minute. Swansea City media manager Jonathan Wilshere said: “The police have interviewed the boy, whose name we cannot give because he is under 18 and a vulnerable person. He and his father spoke to police and they are not pressing charges. He’s been into the Chelsea dressing room and shook hands with Hazard. John Terry and Frank Lampard were exemplary in welcoming him into the Chelsea dressing room.” Chelsea manager Rafael Benitez said both player and ball boy apologised to each other after the match: “They both recognise there was a mistake. The boy was apologising for time-wasting. Hazard was frustrated and tried to get the ball. He was kicking the ball and getting the ball. We can analyse it for half an hour but we know that both are wrong. We will deal with it internally, that’s all I can say.”