Goalkeeper's Teammate Stands by Him After Striker's Tragic Death

An Andorra teammate has come out to support goalkeeper Jesus Owono after the death of Tenerife forward, Jesus de Miguel. This happened after a collision during a Spanish second-division match on Monday.

Andorra centre-back Lautaro Spatz said Owono is very affected by what happened. He insisted that the 25-year-old goalkeeper would never hurt anyone on purpose.

De Miguel, aged 30, died after getting a serious injury during a collision with Owono in the last minutes of the match between Tenerife and Andorra. The game was tied 2-2 when, seven minutes into stoppage time, Owono rushed to clear a long ball and collided with De Miguel using his knee.

De Miguel fell motionless on the pitch as medical staff rushed to help him. He was later taken by ambulance to the hospital. Owono was sent off after the incident, and the match was stopped.

On social media, Spatz shared his condolences to De Miguel’s family and said the incident was devastating for everyone involved. He also showed support for his teammate, saying, "Those of us who know him know the kind of person he is, how much he is suffering at this moment and that he would never intentionally hurt anyone."

Spatz added that while unfortunate things can happen in football, nobody expected that this incident would lead to such a tragedy. The Equatoguinean Football Federation also backed Owono, saying in a statement on Tuesday that the goalkeeper is going through a time of "profound sorrow and grief."

Owono, who has played 47 times for Equatorial Guinea, has since deactivated his Instagram account. Meanwhile, Spanish police have started a routine investigation into possible involuntary manslaughter after De Miguel’s death.

According to Spanish law, a judicial inquiry automatically begins when a death is considered non-natural. De Miguel joined Tenerife in the summer of 2025 on a three-year contract and was a father of one.

After his death, the football community has paid tribute to the striker. A minute’s silence is planned at European matches this week. Tenerife has also announced six official days of mourning, halting all club activities during this time.

The club’s players, officials, and staff are expected to attend De Miguel’s funeral in Navahermosa, Toledo. Tenerife will also open the Estadio Heliodoro Rodriguez Lopez on Saturday evening for fans to pay their last respects to the late striker.

In a statement, the club said De Miguel’s family appreciated all the messages of support but requested privacy as they mourn. "May he rest in peace," the statement concluded.