Jesus Owono, whose challenge led to the death of Spanish footballer Jesus de Miguel, has reportedly insisted there was 'no intention to cause harm' with the goalkeeper expected to avoid criminal sanctions over the tragic incident.
uncertain
goalkeeper → lead → incident
De Miguel, 30, of CD Tenerife, had been admitted to intensive care following a horrifying foul by Owono, which led to the Spanish second division match between his side and Andorra FC being abandoned deep into stoppage time.
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match → admit → time
His football club announced that De Miguel's condition had worsened overnight, with the forward passing away this morning.
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forward → announce → ?
Goalkeeper Owono, 25, was reportedly subjected to chants of 'murderer' and is said to be 'very upset' by his involvement in the incident and amid a backlash to his challenge.
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Owono → subject → challenge
Owono's flying knee had connected with De Miguel's chest as the goalkeeper had attempted to clear the ball near the halfway line.
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goalkeeper → fly → line
The goalkeeper was sent off for his challenge, before the decision was soon taken by the referee to abandon the fixture.
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decision → send → fixture
De Miguel was seen to for over five minutes while his team-mates were visibly distressed, with some appearing to be in tears.
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some → see → tears
Tenerife, from Spain's second tier of football, confirmed De Miguel's death in a statement this morning
Goalkeeper Jesus Owono (pictured) has reportedly insisted their was 'no intention to cause harm' after his challenge led to the death of Tenerife footballer Jesus De Miguel
Journalist Iván Alvarez, speaking on COPE radio before De Miguel's death was announced, reported that the goalkeeper intended to apologise to De Miguel's family in person.
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goalkeeper → confirm → person
Alvarez added that Owono and Andorra FC had insisted there had been 'no intention to cause harm' and that the goalkeeper had closed his Instagram account after being subjected to 'murderer' chants and messages.
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goalkeeper → add → chants
'Some of the people who were at the stadium and some messages I exchanged with players told me it's the hardest thing they've ever experienced on a football pitch.
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they → exchange → pitch
'Jesus Owono, you can imagine.
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you → imagine → ?
He's very upset because obviously no one would ever think of someone wanting to harm a fellow professional in that way,' Alvarez said.
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Alvarez → think → way
'Andorra emphasises that there was no ill intent at any point, acknowledging that it was a mistimed outburst, an action that went terribly wrong and, I would say, excessive and violent, but they insist there was no intention to cause harm.
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they → emphasise → harm
'Owono, who doesn't appreciate hearing an entire stadium like the Heliodoro chanting 'murderer, murderer', has even closed his Instagram account after all the criticism he's received this afternoon.
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he → appreciate → criticism
'His intention is to contact Jesús de Miguel's family or someone close to him personally, when the time is right.
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time → contact → him
He wants to do so privately first, before making any public statement.'
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He → want → statement
Footage taken from the stands had shown Owono clashing with supporters as he made his way off the pitch.
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he → take → pitch
Reports in Spain have stated Owono is expected to avoid criminal sanctions over the horrifying on-pitch collision, with his challenge likely to only result in sporting penalties.
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challenge → state → penalties
The AS newspaper reported that under disciplinary rules a challenge that an act of 'violent conduct toward an opponent during a game that causes serious injury or harm is punishable by a suspension of four to 12 games.
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that → report → games
Owono had reportedly intended to apologise directly De Miguel's family for his challenge and has turned his social media private following abusive chants and messages he received
The striker was struck in the chest by Owono's flying knee as he attempted to clear the ball near the halfway line
Tenerife stated: 'We are with his devastated family, with his loved ones, with all the people of Tenerife who today mourn this cruel outcome'
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who → intend → outcome
The report stated that the nature of the challenge is likely to result in a suspension of between eight and 12 games.
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nature → state → games
Andorra goalkeeper Owono is a current Equatorial Guinea international and has represented his nation 44 times in his career, including playing at two editions of the Africa Cup of Nations.
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Owono → represent → Nations
The 25-year-old had grown up in the Basque Country after moving to San Sebastian at the age of eight.
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old → grow → eight
Owono came through Real Sociedad's youth academy and joined Alaves at 16.
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Owono → come → 16
He became the first Equatorial Guinean player, who was born in the country, to play in the Spanish top flight.
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who → become → flight
Owono played 11 LaLiga matches before joining Andorra on loan last season, with the goalkeeper signing permanently for the club this summer.
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goalkeeper → play → club
The goalkeeper and his team-mates had reportedly returned to Barcelona this morning.
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goalkeeper → return → Barcelona
De Miguel is believed to have suffered a cardiac arrest while being transported to hospital and had to be revived inside the ambulance, according to Spanish media outlet Marca.
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Miguel → believe → Marca
Rayco Garcia, Tenerife’s majority shareholder, and the club’s president Felipe Minambres spoke outside the hospital on Tuesday afternoon of the ‘unbearable pain’ of the loss of De Miguel.
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Garcia → speak → Miguel
The club confirmed plans for fans to pay tribute to De Miguel this Saturday at their stadium, while outlining that De Miguel’s team-mates will receive support following the tragedy.
‘We are facing an unprecedented situation.
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We → confirm → situation
We are very hurt, Tenerife fans are in mourning.
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fans → hurt → mourning
It is very difficult to accept.
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It → accept → ?
Tomorrow, or the day after tomorrow, we will have the definitive 'ok' to transfer the player's body, at the express wish of his family, to Navahermosa, in Toledo,’ Rayco said, as per Radio Marca Tenerife.
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Rayco → have → Tenerife
‘There we will pay our last farewell to Jesús de Miguel.
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we → pay → Miguel
On Saturday we summoned all the fans of the island, at 18:00, at the Heliodoro, to say our last goodbye together, and we will join forces to move forward.
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we → summon → forces
Life has hit us all, but we are a big family and we are going to move forward.’
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we → hit → us
Minambres added: "It is a very sad day for all the Blue and White sentiment and for world football.
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It → add → football
It is an unlived situation, that a player dies like this on a pitch.
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player → die → pitch
We are in moments of weakness, of sadness, of not believing what has happened.
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what → believe → sadness
‘We will go through the mourning and this will make us more united.
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us → go → mourning
…and 28 more, not listed.
The Aporia
