FC Andorra Goalkeeper Receives 12-Match Ban Following Fatal Collision
A troubling incident has resulted in a 12-match suspension for FC Andorra’s goalkeeper Jesús Owono after a tragic collision during a recent football match. The Royal Spanish Football Federation’s (RFEF) Disciplinary Committee announced the ban on Friday, the maximum penalty allowable under league rules, following the death of CD Tenerife striker Jesús de Miguel as a consequence of the incident.
The collision happened on November 2 during stoppage time of a LaLiga Hypermotion match in Tenerife. Owono had ventured well outside his penalty area to challenge a long aerial ball, leading to a forceful clash with De Miguel. Both players collided with Owono striking the 30-year-old attacker in the chest with his knee and leg. The referee, Manuel Ángel Pérez Hernández, promptly issued a straight red card for the excessive force, and the match was suspended with the score tied at 2-2 in the 96th minute as medical personnel attended to De Miguel.
De Miguel suffered a cardiac arrest on the field and was transported to a local hospital, where he tragically passed away the following morning on November 3.
Disciplinary Ruling and Legal Inquiry
In their decision, the RFEF’s Disciplinary Committee referenced Article 102 of its Disciplinary Code, which addresses violent conduct on the field that results in serious injury—an offense with a range of penalties between four to twelve matches.
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Maximum Sporting Penalty: The committee determined that the severity of the challenge, including the raised leg, excessive force while the ball was still in play, and the heartbreaking outcome, warranted the maximum 12-match ban. Additionally, Owono faces mandatory financial penalties under Article 52.
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Judicial Investigation: Independent from the federation’s decision, Spanish police and judicial authorities have initiated an inquiry into possible involuntary manslaughter in line with protocol for non-natural fatalities in Spain.
Response Within Spanish Football
This incident has profoundly impacted everyone involved in Spanish football. Owono, 25, who plays for the Equatorial Guinea national team, has stepped away from social media following incidents of online harassment. He described the last two weeks as “the hardest days of my life” and expressed deep sorrow for De Miguel’s family in a statement through his club.
FC Andorra’s head coach Carles Manso has confirmed that the club is providing comprehensive psychological support for Owono, emphasizing that the goalkeeper will choose when he is mentally ready to re-enter the sport following his suspension.
In the wake of the tragedy, a large number of mourners, including Spain’s national team manager Luis de la Fuente and Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez, attended De Miguel’s funeral after a poignant memorial at the stadium. Both competing clubs postponed their matches the following weekend in honor of the deceased player. The RFEF has since declared that the November 2 fixture will remain recorded as a 2-2 draw, allowing both teams to return to league play.
While the 12-match ban on Owono concludes the federation’s disciplinary process, the impact of De Miguel’s loss continues to reverberate throughout Spanish football.
