Tenerife coach says 12-game ban for keeper in fatal De Miguel collision feels 'too light'

Tenerife head coach Álvaro Cervera has described the 12-game ban issued to goalkeeper Jesús Owono as seemingly “a bit light”, after a Spanish football disciplinary committee handed down its ruling on Friday following the collision that led to the death of forward Jesús de Miguel.

Owono, 25, clashed heavily with De Miguel in mid-air during the Spanish Segunda División fixture between Tenerife and FC Andorra earlier this month. De Miguel, 30, died the following day, plunging Spanish football into mourning. Owono was shown a red card at the time of the incident.

The disciplinary committee confirmed that the 12-match suspension represented the maximum penalty available under current regulations, given that the body could only assess the on-field offence itself rather than its devastating consequences. The referee’s report stated that Owono had been dismissed for “violently striking an opponent in the chest with his leg, using excessive force, while the ball was in play”.

Cervera, whose side face Ceuta on Sunday in their first match since De Miguel’s death, was measured in his assessment of the ruling. “I think that, just as in other areas of life, there are rules or laws that must be followed,” he said. “Since the current regulations don’t specifically account for what happened, I believe they have simply adhered to the rules and imposed the number of matches permitted by the regulations.”

“Anything else I might say would just be my own personal opinion, which I’ll keep to myself. It might seem a bit light when compared to other cases, but in reality, I don’t think the rules allow for anything else.”

Owono released a personal statement in the days after De Miguel’s death. “These are the most difficult days of my life,” he wrote. “I feel enormous pain at the loss of Jesús. I think of him, his family, and all the people who loved him. I know there will be many questions to address. I will face whatever comes with the utmost respect. But right now, honestly, I cannot think about anything other than Jesús and the pain we are experiencing. Rest in peace, Jesús.”