Andorra goalkeeper, Jesús Owono will be allowed to decide for himself if and when he plays again, following the on-field collision that led to the death of Tenerife striker Jesús de Miguel, the club’s coach, Carles Manso, has said.

Speaking at a pre-match news conference on Thursday, Manso said the goalkeeper was deeply affected by what happened and that the club would give him room to feel completely free to make any decision, including whether to return at all.

According to the coach, Owono can take that decision whenever he feels the time is right and he genuinely feels ready. Manso described the goalkeeper as likely going through one of the most difficult periods of his life, adding that Owono was coping by staying close to family, friends and his partner.

The incident happened late in a Spanish second-division match between Tenerife and Andorra on November 2 at the Estadio Heliodoro Rodríguez López. De Miguel, 30, was challenging for the ball in midfield when he was struck in the chest by Owono and suffered a cardiac arrest.

He was taken to hospital, where he later died. Owono was shown a red card in the game.

Tenerife players and fans have since paid tribute to the striker, with supporters laying flowers outside the stadium and the squad attending his funeral in Navahermosa, central Spain. Owono, who is also Equatorial Guinea’s first-choice goalkeeper with 47 caps, released a statement through Andorra last week in which he described the ordeal as the most difficult days of his life.

Manso said the whole Andorra squad had struggled in the aftermath, noting that players were left to decide individually whether to train over the past 10 days. He also used the occasion to remember De Miguel’s family, Tenerife and the entire island, and urged that Owono’s future not be treated as settled or become the subject of media pressure and speculation.

A teammate has previously said the goalkeeper would never intentionally harm anyone.

Andorra return to action on Saturday away to Almería in their first fixture since De Miguel’s death, and Owono will not be involved as he continues to take time with his family.

Photo Credit: Getty Images