Jesus Owono's team-mate defends goalkeeper after death of Jesus de Miguel

Jesus Owono ‘would never intentionally hurt anyone’, says Andorra defender Lautaro Spatz (Picture: AP)

Andorra star Lautaro Spatz has offered his ‘sincere condolences’ to Jesus de Miguel’s loved ones following the footballer’s tragic death, while also sharing a message of support for his team-mate Jesus Owono.

Tenerife centre-forward De Miguel sustained severe head and chest injuries following a heavy collision with Andorra goalkeeper Owono, who was subsequently shown a red card for the challenge.

Owono had raced out of his his goal in an attempt to clear the ball when the deadly coming together occurred in the closing stages of Monday’s Spanish second-division contest.

It quickly became apparent that De Miguel required urgent medical attention and while the striker’s condition was described as ‘stable but serious’ after he was carried from the field and taken to hospital, his condition quickly deteriorated.

A heartbreaking statement on Tenerife’s social media pages on Tuesday morning confirmed that De Miguel has succumbed to his injuries, devastating news that has rocked the footballing world to its core.

Players and organisations have united in support of De Miguel’s friends and family in the hours that have followed, with heartfelt tributes shared and moments of silence observed across the globe.

Meanwhile, the Spanish FA postponed all Copa del Rey and Copa de la Reina matches that were scheduled to take place on Tuesday to allow for time to ‘grieve over this sad loss’.

The sickening collision occurred in the closing stages of Tenerife’s clash with Andorra (Picture: AP)

Tributes have poured in for the late De Miguel after his tragic death (Picture: EPA)

It has also been announced that Tenerife’s Segunda Division clash with Granada – which had been due to kick off on Saturday – will be moved to a later date.

‘Following the tragic news of the death of Jesus de Miguel, a player for CD Tenerife, the LaLiga Hypermotion match between Granada CF and Tenerife, scheduled for Saturday, November 7th at the Nuevo Los Carmenes stadium, has been postponed,’ read a statement on Granada’s official website.

‘The new date for the match is pending confirmation. The club reiterates its deepest condolences to the loved ones of Jesus de Miguel, as well as to the entire CD Tenerife family, sending them all strength and encouragement in these difficult times.’

Con el corazón encogido. Impresiona esto. Cientos de aficionados están despidiendo en estos momentos a Jesús de Miguel junto a la puerta 9 del Heliodoro. #jesusdemiguel pic.twitter.com/9aoHdlAh87— 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿Martín-Travieso🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 (@martintravieso) November 3, 2026

Reuters reported on Tuesday that police in Spain had launched an investigation for possible involuntary manslaughter in the wake of De Miguel’s death.

Under Spanish law, any death deemed to be non-natural automatically triggers a judicial inquiry.

However, criminal proceedings against Andorra shot-stopper Owono are ‘very unlikely’, according to Santa Cruz de Tenerife chief prosecutor Jose Luis Sanchez-Jauregui.

🖤 A moment of silence in memory of @CDTOficial forward Jesús de Miguel Alameda and the victims of last week’s train accident in Spain. pic.twitter.com/o1e4bQRX3E— UEFA (@UEFA) November 3, 2026

Owono is yet to make a public statement in relation to the incident and Venancio Tomas Ndong Micha, the president of the Equatorial Guinean Football Federation, has said the 25-year-old was ‘experiencing profound distress and anguish’ following the news of De Miguel’s death.

Spanish radio station COPE reported that a section of supporters inside the Heliodoro Rodriguez Lopez stadium had yelled ‘murderer’ at Owono, appearing to blame the goalkeeper for the tragic circumstances that played out.

But Andorra defender Spatz, who helped carry De Miguel off the pitch on a stretcher, took to Instagram to defend Owono on Tuesday night, insisting his team-mate would ‘never intentionally hurt anyone’.

‘There are moments when football stops making sense. Moments that stay with you forever and make you realise just how fragile life can be. What we have experienced is something none of us will ever forget. A tragedy that has left us completely heartbroken, speechless and with a sadness that is difficult to put into words,’ Spatz wrote.

‘First of all, I would like to express my most sincere condolences and send all my love to the family, friends and loved ones of Jesus, as well as to the entire Chicharrera fanbase and the football community.

‘Since yesterday, the entire FC Andorra squad has been shocked, devastated and deeply affected by what has happened. It is a tragedy that we could never have imagined experiencing on a football pitch.

‘I would also like to say a few words about my team-mate, goalkeeper and friend, who has been deeply affected by what happened. Those of us who know him know what kind of person he is, how much he is suffering at this moment, and that he would never intentionally hurt anyone.

Tenerife supporters have joined in laying flowers outside the Heliodoro Rodriguez Lopez Stadium (Picture: Getty)

‘In football, accidents happen, but nobody could ever imagine that one of them could lead to such tragic consequences.’

The Andorra centre-back added: ‘Today, football doesn’t matter. All that matters is standing together in grief, showing the utmost respect and sending all our strength to the family and everyone suffering from this terrible loss.

‘Rest in peace, Demi. [broken heart emoji].’

A separate message on Andorra’s official website read: ‘We are deeply moved by the death of Jesus de Miguel. The first thing we want to do is extend our most sincere condolences to his family, CD Tenerife, and all those close to him.

The devastating news of De Miguel’s passing has shaken football to its core (Picture: AP)

‘We know that no words can ease such pain, but we want them to know that we stand by their side and deeply share their sadness.

‘We also want to extend all our support to CD Tenerife, its players, its technical staff, its workers, and its fans. We are deeply affected by what has happened and share the pain the club is experiencing. From the very first moment, we have been in contact with them and are at their disposal for anything they may need.

‘Likewise, we are in contact with LaLiga, the Government of Andorra, and the relevant organizations to offer all our collaboration and the necessary support during these very difficult times. We have also requested the postponement of the next match against RCD Mallorca, as we believe these are moments of profound grief in which respect and support for all those affected must prevail.