EDEN HAZARD was forced to issue a grovelling apology after seeing red in extraordinary circumstances when he KICKED a ballboy during Swansea’s Capital One Cup defeat of Chelsea.
The Belgian star said: "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.
"The ballboy came in the changing room and we had a quick chat and I apologised and the boy apologised as well. It is over. Sorry."
The debacle took place when Charlie Morgan, 17, son of Swansea director Martin, pounced on the ball after it ran out for a Swansea goal kick in the 78th minute.
Desperate to see play restarted, Hazard ran up to the lad who seemed to lie on top of the ball.
The midfielder then grappled with Morgan and, after failing to wrestle the ball from his grasp, appeared to kick him in the STOMACH, leaving him rolling on the floor in agony.
With the young lad helped off to receive treatment, referee Chris Foy had no choice but to show Hazard a straight red card.
In another bizarre twist, Morgan had earlier bragged about his plans to waste time as a ballboy during the game when he tweeted just hours before kick-off.
Chelsea showed little sympathy for the lad on their official Twitter account, tweeting firmly in support of their player moments after Hazard was sent off.
They wrote: “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.”
The club later apologised for their tweet and boss Rafa Benitez confirmed that Morgan and Hazard had apologised to each other after the game.
Benitez 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.”
ED CASE ... Edin Hazard tries to get ball back from the ballboy
The incident overshadowed a remarkable night for Swansea who booked their spot in a major final for the first time in the club's history.
Boss Michael Laudrup said: “We know this is going to take some of our headlines.
“But we have to try to understand what was going through the head of the player.
“I was a player and I can understand he was frustrated and wanted the boy to give him the ball. But there are some things that you can never do.”
Swansea later announced that South Wales Police had interviewed Morgan and his father but they had decided not to press further charges.
OUCH! ... Eden Hazard appears to kick out at Swansea ballboy
