Sportsupdated 2h ago2 min read
MapJesus Owono Endures Hardest Days After Tenerife Striker Jesús de Miguel Dies
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Jesús de Miguel, Tenerife forward, died aged 30 after a collision with Andorra's goalkeeper. Spanish police opened an investigation into possible involuntary manslaughter.
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Collision, then death
FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesus Owono said he is enduring the “hardest days of my life” after Tenerife striker Jesus de Miguel died following a collision during a Spanish second division match. Owono collided with de Miguel as Owono raced into midfield to clear an aerial ball, and Spanish police sources told AFP that an investigation into what happened has been opened under judicial supervision. Tenerife and Andorra’s match ended in a 2-2 draw, and the incident led to the match being abandoned after Owono was sent off.
Tenerife confirmed de Miguel died at 30, and the club said he suffered cardiac arrest after being struck in the chest during Monday’s 2-2 draw at Tenerife. Andorra players observed a minute’s silence on Wednesday before a voluntary training session, and Owono did not attend that session.
Tributes and postponements
Lautaro Spatz defended Owono and said he “would never intentionally hurt anyone,” adding that Owono was “deeply affected” by de Miguel’s death. The Equatorial Guinea football federation president Venancio Tomas Micha offered “all our human and professional backing” to Owono, describing him as “the involuntary protagonist of this tragic incident in the game.” Granada postponed its match against Tenerife, and Mallorca said “At times like this, respect and sensitivity in the face of a situation of profound grief must come first.”
The Spanish football federation postponed Copa del Rey and Copa de la Reina matches this week, and UEFA announced that moments of silence would be observed at its matches throughout the week. Tenerife planned a tribute at its stadium on Saturday and said it would hold a six-day mourning period, with the funeral taking place in Navahermosa in the province of Toledo.
Investigation and fallout
Spanish police opened a routine investigation into possible involuntary manslaughter after de Miguel’s death, and the BBC said that under Spanish law any death deemed non-natural automatically triggers a judicial inquiry. Santa Cruz de Tenerife chief prosecutor Jose Luis Sanchez-Jauregui told EFE that criminal proceedings were unlikely because the collision occurred during normal play. The Spanish football federation postponed all Copa del Rey and Copa de la Reina matches scheduled for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, and UEFA announced moments of silence at matches throughout the week.
Tenerife said it would suspend all club activities during a six official days of mourning, and it planned to open its home ground on Saturday evening to allow supporters to “bid a fitting farewell”. The death also prompted a judicial and sporting process around possible consequences for Owono, with one outlet describing a potential sports ban of up to 12 matches while noting no definitive sanction had yet been issued.