Police probe collision death of Spanish footballer

Spanish soccer was in mourning for goalkeeper Jesus de Miguel who died after an on-pitch collision. Photo: EPA PHOTO Spanish police have opened an investigation into possible involuntary manslaughter after a soccer player died following an on-field collision with the opposing team's goalkeeper in a second-division match.

Subscribe now for unlimited access. or signup to continue reading SAVE $100 All articles from our website & app The digital version of Today's Paper Crosswords, Sudoku and Trivia All other in your area Tenerife forward Jesús de Miguel died after he suffered cardiac arrest following the on-field collision.

He was 30. De Miguel was challenging for the ball near midfield in Monday's match when he was struck in the chest by Andorra goalkeeper Jesus Owono, who had come running from the opposite direction in an apparent attempt to make a clearance. Owono was shown a straight red card for the incident, which happened in added time.

Tenerife fans place flowers and candles in memory of Jesus de Miguel at the club stadium. (EPA PHOTO) The country's National Police said on Tuesday that an investigation had been opened. Under Spanish law, deaths from non-natural causes, including accidents, are subject to judicial investigation.

Santa Cruz de Tenerife chief prosecutor Jose Luis Sanchez-Jauregui told Spanish news agency EFE that criminal proceedings were unlikely, noting that the collision occurred during play. De Miguel was taken to a hospital and the match, tied 2-2, was abandoned after the incident. The club located on Spain's Canary Islands said it was "heartbroken." Tenerife's largest shareholder Rayco Garcia told reporters that De Miguel's body would be transported to Navahermosa, in the Toledo province, at the request of his family.

He said De Miguel's teammates and club officials would be present for a "final farewell." Club president Felipe Minambres said players and their families would likely need help to cope with De Miguel's death. "We will need professional help and the help of all of our fans," he said.

"They will be feeling the same way that we are feeling today." The club asked for its league game at Granada on Saturday to be postponed. The heavy collision happened when Owono rushed out of his area all the way to midfield to challenge for a long ball that De Miguel was trying to reach.

Players from Andorra and Tenerife were left shocked and distraught after the collision. (AP PHOTO) De Miguel initially curled on his knees, clutching his torso for a few seconds, before he fell over onto his back, with his arms falling to his sides. Owono was walking off the field after being shown the red card but turned around and joined the other players rushing to check on De Miguel.

The goalkeeper's Instagram account, which had nearly 30,000 followers, had been deactivated on Tuesday. Another player with the same last name of Owono, Michel Owono, who plays for sixth-division Spanish club Can Vidalet, denounced a wave of racist insults against him by people thinking he was the Andorra goalkeeper.

Spanish media said De Miguel is survived by his wife and their daughter. Australian Associated Press More from Soccer As it happens Breaking news alert Be the first to know when news breaks.