The world of football has come together to mourn the death of Tenerife striker Jesus de Miguel. The forward suffered head and chest injuries in a heavy collision with goalkeeper Jesus Owono during a Spanish second division match against FC Andorra on Monday. De Miguel's condition was described as stable but serious on Monday, but his health deteriorated on Tuesday morning and the Spaniard died at 07:00 GMT.
A minute's silence was held before Tuesday evening's Champions League matches across Europe. That will be repeated for Wednesday's fixtures, as well as all Europa League and Conference League matches this week. This gesture is a mark of respect for De Miguel and a show of solidarity from the football community.
Mourners laid flowers and lit candles beneath a black and white image of De Miguel at the Estadio Heliodoro Rodriguez Lopez, Tenerife's home ground. Tenerife said in a statement on Tuesday evening they will commence six official days of mourning, with all club activities suspended during this time. The club's players, staff and officials will attend De Miguel's funeral, which will take place in Navahermosa, Toledo.
Tenerife will also open their home ground on Saturday evening to allow supporters to "bid a fitting farewell". The club's statement also expressed gratitude for the messages of support and asked that De Miguel's family be given privacy at this difficult time. Fran Leon, president of Tenerife's federation of supporters' clubs, described the incident as "shared pain" for the island and Canarias.
Fan David Tejera said De Miguel's "effort" and "passion" for Tenerife would endure. "You are already part of the blue and white history," he said. De Miguel's death has sent shockwaves through the football world, with many paying tribute to the striker.
The incident occurred when Owono ran towards the centre circle to clear a long ball and his knee appeared to collide with De Miguel. The referee showed Owono a straight red card before abandoning the match. Police in Spain have opened an investigation for possible involuntary manslaughter following De Miguel's death.
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho expressed his sadness over the incident and said it is a "very, very difficult moment" for Owono. Brazilian forward Raphinha also paid tribute to De Miguel, saying "Today I don't want to talk about football, I want to send a message to the family of Jesus - may he rest in peace."
Key points
- - A minute's silence was held before Tuesday evening's Champions League matches across Europe to mark respect for De Miguel. - Tenerife will commence six official days of mourning, with all club activities suspended during this time. - Police in Spain have opened an investigation for possible involuntary manslaughter following De Miguel's death.
