FORMER Chelsea star Eden Hazard has explained why he was happy receiving a three-match ban after infamously kicking out at a ball boy.
Hazard, 33, was sent off during a League Cup semi-final second leg between Chelsea and Swansea back in 2017 for kicking ball boy Charlie Morgan.
Morgan, who was 17-years-old at the time, attempted to shield the ball in a bid to run down the clock with Swansea 2-0 up on aggregate.
Hazard tried to get the ball back by kicking it from underneath the teenager, but he was subsequently shown a red card for violent conduct.
While most players would have been frustrated by the prospect of a three-match suspension, the ex-winger recently revealed that he was secretly thrilled.
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That's because his wife, Natacha, was heavily pregnant at the time.
When asked by John Obi Mikel - on the Obi One Podcast - if it was a bad moment for him, Hazard responded: "No, not at all because after that game I came back home - saying to myself, 'this guy is just staying on the ball and I just tried to kick the ball', and then I get a red card?
"The funny story is my wife was just pregnant and the baby was coming now - that day. So me? Getting the red card? Three games out? Perfect. That's the reality. Perfect holiday, thank you guys!"
He continued: "They're going to think I did it on purpose, but not at all. It's a bit like when you play on the street. Someone is on the ball? 'Hey, give me the ball man.'"
Hazard reunited with Charlie earlier this year, with the pair sharing a photo on social media.
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The former Belgium international commented: "A nice thing about retirement is catching up with old friends.
"You have come a long way in 11 years my friend."
Charlie now has a thriving vodka company called Au Vodka, which he set up in 2016 alongside school friend Jackson Quinn.
His business empire saw him named on the Sunday Times Rich List for 2022.
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