Owono reveals 'enormous pain' after Tenerife striker Jesus de Miguel dies from collision

Andorra goalkeeper Jesus Owono has spoken publicly for the first time since the death of Tenerife striker Jesus de Miguel, describing the aftermath as “the most difficult days of my life” following the fatal collision in a Spanish second-division fixture on Monday.

De Miguel, 30, suffered a cardiac arrest after Owono came out of his box to clear the ball and struck the forward forcefully in the chest during stoppage time of the EFL Championship equivalent tie between the two clubs. De Miguel was taken to hospital and died on Tuesday. Owono was sent off at the time of the incident.

“I’m struggling to find the words and finding it very difficult to process anything that has happened,” Owono, an Equatorial Guinea international, said in a statement released by Andorra on Wednesday. “I feel enormous pain at the loss of Jesus. I think of him, his family, and all the people who loved him. I know there will be many issues to address, and I will face whatever comes with the utmost respect. But right now, honestly, I can’t think of anything other than Jesus and the pain we are experiencing. Rest in peace, Jesus.”

Owono deleted his Instagram account on Tuesday in the immediate aftermath. Andorra defender Lautaro Spatz moved to defend his team-mate, saying: “Those of us who know him know the type of person he is, how much he is suffering in these moments and that he would never intend to hurt anyone. In football, unfortunate incidents happen, but no-one could imagine that one of these could end in such tragic circumstances.”

Tenerife announced six days of mourning following De Miguel’s death, and tributes have arrived from across the football world. A minute’s silence was observed before each of Tuesday night’s Champions League fixtures, with UEFA confirming the gesture will be repeated before all of its matches this week. Barcelona forward Raphinha, who scored twice in his side’s Champions League win over Aston Villa on Tuesday, said: “Today I don’t want to talk about football. I want to send a message to the family of Jesus — may he rest in peace.”

Spanish police confirmed on Tuesday that a routine investigation into possible involuntary manslaughter has been opened, though criminal proceedings are considered unlikely. Under Spanish law, any death deemed non-natural automatically triggers a judicial inquiry.

Fans gathered at Tenerife’s Heliodoro Rodriguez Lopez stadium to lay tributes to De Miguel. A memorial service will be held at the ground on Saturday evening, with supporters invited to attend.