Jesus Owono handed 12-match ban over collision that killed Jesus de Miguel
Spain’s football federation has given goalkeeper Jesus Owono the maximum 12-match ban. The match in which Jesus de Miguel was fatally injured will not be replayed.
MADRID, Nov 14 – FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesus Owono has received a 12-match suspension from the Spanish football federation’s disciplinary committee, the maximum sanction available. The Jesus Owono ban follows a collision that led to the death of Tenerife forward Jesus de Miguel.
Owono, 25, was sent off after the challenge in the closing stages of a second-division match between the two clubs on November 2. De Miguel died the following day. He was 30.
The disciplinary committee said its decision had to be based on the facts set out in the referee’s report. According to that report, Owono was dismissed for violently striking an opponent in the chest with his leg, using excessive force, while the ball was in play.
The committee noted that the tragic outcome of the incident is public knowledge. It said the nature of the conduct and the circumstances surrounding it justified “the maximum sanction.”
In a separate decision, the federation ruled that the match will not be replayed or resumed. The game was abandoned seven minutes into stoppage time, at the moment the collision took place.
The federation said this approach eliminates the need to restart play from the exact moment of the incident.
The score was 2-2 when the match was stopped, and that result will now stand. A federation committee described the decision as the most respectful course of action, given what it called the extraordinary and tragic circumstances of the case.
De Miguel’s death has deeply affected Spanish football. The forward collapsed after the collision and was taken from the pitch, and the match was not completed. His death the next day prompted tributes from clubs across the country.
Owono has not played since the incident.
On November 4, FC Andorra released a statement on the goalkeeper’s behalf. In it, Owono said he was going through the most difficult days of his life. He also said he felt enormous pain over De Miguel’s death.
On Thursday, FC Andorra manager Carles Manso said Owono has not yet decided whether he will return to football.
Manso said the goalkeeper, who plays internationally for Equatorial Guinea, is currently spending time with his family. He said Owono is completely free to make any decision about his future.
“What we have to do is support him in every way,” Manso said.
The manager added that the club will give Owono the space he needs. He said the goalkeeper should feel free to decide whether he wants to return, when he might do so, or whether he does not want to return at all.
Manso said Owono will make that decision when he feels it is the right time and when he is genuinely ready.
The suspension applies to competitive matches organized under the Spanish federation. FC Andorra, which is based in the Principality of Andorra, competes in the Spanish league system.
Tenerife and FC Andorra have not publicly commented on the length of the ban. It is not yet clear whether either club or the player will appeal the decision.
The committee’s ruling covers only the disciplinary side of the case. It does not address any other inquiry that may follow De Miguel’s death.
The incident has drawn widespread attention in Spain, where questions have been raised about player safety, medical support and the circumstances surrounding the fatal collision. Football authorities and clubs are expected to await the outcome of any further investigation before taking additional action.
Owono’s absence has also left FC Andorra facing uncertainty in goal, with the club relying on its remaining squad as the season continues. The goalkeeper’s future is likely to remain a major point of attention for supporters, teammates and the wider football community in the weeks ahead.
De Miguel had played for Tenerife in the second division this season. The club has asked for privacy for his family.
