A goalkeeper 12-match ban fatal collision ruling has been handed down in Spain following one of the most heartbreaking tragedies in recent European football. On Friday, the Royal Spanish Football Federation’s (RFEF) Disciplinary Committee suspended FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono for 12 matches—the maximum penalty permitted under league regulations—after an on-field collision that led to the death of CD Tenerife striker Jesús de Miguel.
The incident occurred on November 2 during stoppage time of a Spanish second-division (LaLiga Hypermotion) match in Tenerife. Owono rushed well outside his penalty area to contest a long aerial ball near midfield, colliding forcefully with De Miguel and striking the 30-year-old forward in the chest with his raised leg and knee. Referee Manuel Ángel Pérez Hernández immediately issued a straight red card for excessive force, and the match was abandoned at 2-2 in the 96th minute as medical personnel attended to De Miguel.
De Miguel suffered cardiac arrest on the pitch, was rushed to a local hospital in intensive care, and died the following morning on November 3.
Disciplinary Ruling and Legal Separation
In issuing the suspension, the RFEF Disciplinary Committee applied Article 102 of its Disciplinary Code, which governs violent conduct during play that results in serious harmful or injurious consequences—an offense carrying a standard range of four to 12 matches.
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Maximum Sporting Penalty: The committee ruled that the specific gravity of the challenge—noting the raised leg, excessive force while the ball remained in play, and the devastating outcome—warranted the maximum 12-game ban alongside mandatory financial fines under Article 52.
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Judicial Investigation: Separate from the federation’s sporting jurisdiction, Spanish police and judicial authorities have opened a routine inquiry into potential involuntary manslaughter, standard protocol in Spain for non-natural deaths.
Aftermath Across Spanish Football
The tragedy has left a profound emotional toll on everyone involved. Owono, a 25-year-old Equatorial Guinea international, closed his social media accounts after receiving online abuse and described the past two weeks as “the hardest days of my life” in a statement released through his club, expressing immense pain for De Miguel’s family and loved ones.
FC Andorra head coach Carles Manso stated Thursday that the club is providing full psychological support and that Owono alone will decide if and when he feels mentally ready to return to football once his suspension concludes.
In Tenerife, hundreds of mourners—including Spain national team manager Luis de la Fuente and Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez—attended De Miguel’s funeral last week following an emotional stadium memorial. After postponing both clubs’ matches last weekend out of respect, the RFEF confirmed that the November 2 fixture will stand as an official 2-2 draw rather than being replayed, as both teams prepare to return to league action.
While the goalkeeper 12-match ban fatal collision decision brings closure to the federation’s disciplinary process, the loss of De Miguel continues to resonate deeply across the Spanish game.
Goalkeeper 12-Match Ban Fatal Collision Ruling Issued in Spain