‘We are heartbroken’: UEFA mourns Jesús de Miguel; police open probe

Jesus de Miguel (Pic credit: Tenerife)

Spanish football is mourning the death of CD Tenerife forward Jesus de Miguel, who passed away aged 30 after suffering serious injuries in an on-field collision during a second-division match against FC Andorra on Monday.UEFA and several football organisations have expressed their grief, while Spanish police have opened an investigation into the incident.UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin offered his condolences to De Miguel’s family, teammates and everyone associated with the club.“We are heartbroken by the death of Jesus de Miguel Alameda,” Ceferin said in a statement. “We have searched for words and found only silence. In that silence, our hearts and thoughts are with his family, his teammates, everyone at CD Tenerife, and all those who mourn this tragic loss,” he added.

What happened during the match?

The incident took place in the closing stages of Monday’s match at the Estadio Heliodoro Rodriguez Lopez. De Miguel was challenging for the ball near midfield when he collided with Andorra goalkeeper Jesus Owono, who struck him in the chest.The 30-year-old suffered serious head and chest injuries and was left motionless on the pitch. Medical staff rushed to help him before he was taken to the University Hospital of Nuestra Señora de Candelaria. He reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest but was revived by medical personnel.Although his condition was initially described as stable but serious, his neurological condition worsened on Tuesday morning. He passed away at 8 am local time. The match was abandoned following the incident, and Owono was shown a straight red card.

Police investigation launched

Spanish police have opened an investigation into possible involuntary manslaughter, with prosecutors also expected to be involved.Tenerife announced his death in an emotional statement, asking for privacy for his family. The Royal Spanish Football Federation also offered its condolences.De Miguel had played for several lower-division Spanish clubs before joining Tenerife and helped the team earn promotion to the Segunda Division last season.UEFA has announced that all its matches this week will observe a moment of silence in his memory.