Andorra goalkeeper Jesus Owono “would never intentionally hurt anyone” and has been “deeply affected” by the death of Tenerife forward Jesus de Miguel, his team-mate said on Wednesday.
Tenerife player De Miguel, 30, died after suffering a serious injury in a collision with Owono during a Spanish second-division match on Monday.
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The world of football has paid tribute to De Miguel, a father-of-one who joined Tenerife in summer 2025, with a minute’s silence being held at all European games this week.
Writing on social media, Andorra centre-back Lautaro Spatz said Owono was devastated.
He paid tribute to De Miguel but added: “I also want to say a few words about my team-mate, goalkeeper and friend, who is deeply affected by what has happened.
“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.
“In football, unfortunate incidents can happen but no-one could imagine that one of them might end with such tragic consequences.”
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Tenerife and Andorra were drawing 2-2 seven minutes into stoppage time when the incident occurred.
Owono ran towards the centre circle to clear a long ball when his knee appeared to collide with De Miguel.
The striker lay motionless on the pitch as medical staff treated him before he was taken by ambulance from Tenerife’s Estadio Heliodoro Rodriguez Lopez to hospital.
Owono was sent off and the match was abandoned.
The goalkeeper, who had over 30,000 followers on Instagram on Tuesday morning, has since deactivated his account.
Police in Spain opened a routine investigation into possible involuntary manslaughter following De Miguel’s death.
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Under Spanish law, any death that is deemed non-natural automatically triggers a judicial inquiry.
Owono has made 47 international appearances for Equatorial Guinea.
The Equatoguinean Football Federation said in a statement on Tuesday the 25-year-old was going through a “situation of profound sorrow and grief”.
On Tuesday, mourners laid flowers and lit candles beneath a black and white image of De Miguel at the Estadio Heliodoro Rodriguez Lopez.
Tenerife said in a statement they will commence six official days of mourning, with all club activities suspended during this time.
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The club’s players, staff and officials will attend De Miguel’s funeral, which will take place in Navahermosa, Toledo.
Tenerife will also open their home ground on Saturday evening to allow supporters to “bid a fitting farewell”.
“Jesus de Miguel’s family would like to thank everyone for their messages of support and, from the bottom of their hearts, ask that their privacy be respected at this terrible time. May he rest in peace,” added the statement.
