De Miguel’s Death: Owono Would Never Intentionally Hurt Anyone, Teammate Insists

De Miguel’s Death: Owono Would Never Intentionally Hurt Anyone, Teammate Insists

FC Andorra defender Lautaro Spatz has come to the defence of goalkeeper Jesús Owono following the death of Tenerife striker Jesús de Miguel after a collision during a Spanish second-division encounter.

Spatz, who was among the players involved in attending to De Miguel on the pitch, expressed his condolences to the deceased footballer’s family while describing the tragedy as an incident that had left the football community devastated.

In a message shared on social media, the Argentine defender said Owono was deeply affected by what happened and insisted that his teammate had never intended to harm another player.

“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,” Spatz said.

He added that football could produce unfortunate incidents, but nobody could have imagined that the collision would end in such tragic circumstances.

The incident occurred on Monday during a match between FC Andorra and Tenerife. Owono rushed out of his goal to challenge for the ball and collided heavily with De Miguel, who subsequently suffered a cardiac arrest.

The goalkeeper was shown a red card following the incident, while the match was abandoned.

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De Miguel, 30, was taken to hospital and admitted to intensive care but died on Tuesday morning, prompting an outpouring of tributes from clubs, players and football organisations.

Spatz, who helped carry the injured striker from the pitch on a stretcher, said his thoughts were with De Miguel’s family, friends and everyone connected to Tenerife.

The defence of Owono comes amid reports that the goalkeeper had faced abusive messages on social media following the tragedy. He subsequently deactivated his Instagram account.

Owono, 25, later issued his first public statement through FC Andorra, describing the period as the most difficult days of his life.

He said he was struggling to process the loss and that his thoughts remained with De Miguel and his family. He also acknowledged that there would be questions to answer, pledging to face them with respect.

The Equatorial Guinea Football Federation has also expressed support for the goalkeeper, while FC Andorra confirmed that psychological support was being made available to members of the club affected by the incident.

Meanwhile, Spanish police have opened an investigation into De Miguel’s death. The investigation is a routine procedure, and the circumstances surrounding the collision remain subject to official examination.

The tragedy has renewed attention on the emotional and physical risks associated with professional football, with players and clubs across Spain paying tribute to the Tenerife forward.