SoccerThey Said What?

Chelsea’s Twitter Is Actually Defending Eden Hazard, Who Kicked A Ball Boy In The Ribs

by Dylan Murphy | 4:57 pm, January 23rd, 2013

A few moments ago, Deadspin posted a video of Chelsea’s Eden Hazard kicking a ball boy in a Cup match against Swansea. After the ball rolled over the end line, the Swansea ball boy rolls over the ball in what is presumably a time-wasting maneuver (Swansea, at home, led 2-0 in the 79th minute in the second leg of the aggregate to make the Cup final).

Hazard, however, was in no mood. So instead of rolling the ball boy over and scooping up the ball, he delivered a quick kick to the ribs instead. He was immediately red carded for the terrible display and Chelsea players came to the aid of the ball boy.

But the reason why we’re bringing you this story, besides the violent kick, is because of Chelsea’s reaction to the red card – not that the ball boy should have been wasting time in the first place, but a kick to the ribs is an auto-send off, and just, well, a horrible thing to do to some poor kid.

Via their Twitter account:

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. #CFC

— Chelsea FC (@chelseafc) January 23, 2013

It’s all over: 0-0 (0-2 agg). A hugely disappointing performance topped by a bizarre red card. #CFC

— Chelsea FC (@chelseafc) January 23, 2013

Uh, what? Sportsmanship, anyone? Human decency? Something?

UPDATE (5:18): We now have video of our own:

[Twitter, Deadspin]

Follow @dylantmurphy

#Ballboy

He tried to kick the ball from underneath a ball boy who boasted on twitter earlier today hes going to timewaste….. #DESERVE #BALLBOY
Rob

What about sportsmanship from swansea and the ball boy? It’s a cup semi final and the kid is clearly trying to kill time.. Hazard deserves red, but c’mon, two sides here!
Tom

The author of this article is clearly retarded. That ball boy is a little time wasting dick and all Hazard did was kick the ball, and I’m a Man U fan!
Dylan Murphy

Retard here: While I completely agree that the kid shouldn’t waste time like that, Hazard kicking him is a severe overreaction and indefensible.
si

Forget who you support. The pee wee wad time wasti. nt and Hazard kicked the ball. Fact. Spare the outcry. He never kicked the boy. He felt the kick to the ball due to his antics
Anonymous

What a crock. He clearly kicked the kid in the ribs. Are you blind?
Anonymous

The ball kid is in a position to affect the clock? Yet ANOTHER reason to hate soccer.
fifa ref

From the ref’s standpoint, the boy is not a player, manager, or referee, and thus has no standing on the field and is a foreign object. Actions that aren’t directed at these 3 recognized persons are not fouls and can’t be penalized (the same way boateng telling off racist fans doesn’t get him redcarded for vulgarity). Eden Hazard could’ve beaten that kid to death and the ref is not within his rights to penalize him as the kid is outside the realm of the game.
Sportsman

That boy should have had his teeth kicked in. What a time wasting show of lack of sportsmanship! Spare the rod, spoil the child. I would have been very happy if the stupid ball boy lost some teeth. His fake display of agony would have meant something.
The Legend

and your use of “severe” is exaggerated and alarmist.
Nick

Mr. Murphy, I think you’ve made some rash statements here, especially regarding the club’s stance. Assuming you’ve watched the video, it’s questionable whether or not the player even made contact with the Charlie Morgan, and how would turning the player over, as you suggest, constitute any less of a violent action? The “boy” would still have acted as if he had just been beaten to death, Eden would still get a bogus red card, and we’d be having the same discussion. Chelsea have every right to stand behind their player in this situation, and many of the reasons for this are touched on in the other replies. Please do your homework before reporting on the beautiful game.
Nick

Here’s the same story, told by a well informed writer: http://www.ibtimes.com/sportsnet/chelsea-fc-news-why-eden-hazards-red-card-so-wrong-1037658