Carles Manso lets Owono decide on return after deadly foul

While goalkeeper Jesús Owono is given the freedom by coach Carles Manso to decide for himself whether and when he will return to FC Andorra after the fatal foul in which Jesús de Miguel died, he is simultaneously under police investigation and faces a long ban by the Spanish football association RFEF.

Decision on the comeback

Goalkeeper Jesús Owono should be able to decide for himself whether and when he will play football again.

It is Jesús Owono's decision whether and when he will stand in goal again.

The coach of the professional emphasizes this, who was involved in the fatal collision in which Jesús de Miguel died.

Goalkeeper Jesús Owono, after whose serious foul the Spanish footballer Jesús de Miguel died, should be able to decide himself about a return to the FC Andorra squad.

Coach Carles Manso said this at a press conference before the Spanish second-division match this Saturday at UD Almería.

„We will give him the freedom to decide completely freely whether and when he wants to return,“ Manso said: „He can make this decision whenever he sees the right moment for it and truly feels ready.“

According to Spanish media reports, Manso denied that the 25-year-old Owono is considering retirement.

Investigations and possible ban

Jesús de Miguel, forward for CD Tenerife, did not survive the collision when Owono rushed far out of his goal.

He suffered cardiac arrest and died the next day in a hospital at only 30 years old.

Against Owono, the homicide unit of the Spanish police opened an investigation, according to the news agency AP, for possible involuntary manslaughter.

According to Spanish media, however, Tenerife's chief prosecutor José Luis Sánchez-Jáuregui believes that a criminal proceeding regarding the incident is very unlikely.

Owono faces, in any case, a long ban by the Spanish football federation RFEF.

„He is deeply affected by the situation“, Manso said about the keeper from Equatorial Guinea.

Owono faces a very complex challenge, and we must respect his personal process and his privacy. He is probably going through one of the most difficult phases of his life. Our task is simply to stand by him and provide as much support as possible.

Currently, Owono is with his family, his friends and his partner.

„They will help him cope with this sad situation as best as possible“, said Andorra's coach.

The keeper himself had most recently spoken out on social networks. „I find it hard to find words, and it is very difficult for me to even comprehend what happened. The loss of Jesús hurts me infinitely“, he wrote.

As the newspaper reports, the goalkeeper is under the care of the club's psychologists and doctors.

Owono has again asked the club from the island of Tenerife to arrange a meeting with the family of Jesús de Miguel to personally express his condolences.

The club is said to have asked for more time in order to respect the family's mourning.