Tenerife manager Alvaro Cervera has admitted that the 12-match suspension handed to FC Andorra goalkeeper Jesus Owono might appear light following the death of striker Jesus de Miguel.
Naija News reports that Owono, 25, was sent off after colliding with De Miguel during the closing stages of FC Andorra’s Spanish second-tier match against Tenerife on November 2.
De Miguel, 30, died the following day, while the Spanish football federation’s disciplinary committee confirmed Owono’s suspension on Friday.
The 12-match ban represents the maximum punishment available under existing regulations, with the committee limited to assessing the incident on the pitch rather than its tragic aftermath.
Speaking ahead of Tenerife’s match against Ceuta on Sunday, their first since De Miguel’s death, Cervera said the authorities had acted within the limits of the rules.
“I think that, just as in other areas of life, there are rules or laws that must be followed,” Cervera said, as reported by BBC Sport.
“Since the current regulations don’t specifically account for what happened, I believe they have simply adhered to the rules and imposed the number of matches permitted by the regulations.
“Anything else I might say would just be my own personal opinion, which I’ll keep to myself. It might seem a bit light when compared to other cases, but in reality, I don’t think the rules allow for anything else.”
The disciplinary committee said its decision was based on the facts contained in the referee’s report, which stated that Owono was dismissed for “violently striking an opponent in the chest with his leg, using excessive force, while the ball was in play”.
Meanwhile, Cervera admitted that Tenerife’s preparations for Sunday’s fixture had been difficult as the players continued to cope with De Miguel’s death.
The 61-year-old described the return to training as emotionally challenging, explaining that although the squad appeared to be making progress together, he remained concerned about how individuals were coping away from the training ground.
“When we’re together, we’re fine, during our sessions, we’re doing well,” he said.
“It feels like the group is gradually getting back to normal. What we don’t know is how everyone is doing when we’re apart and that’s a significant factor.
“Everyone has their own way of coping and their own thoughts; some have people at home to support them, while others are more on their own.
“We’re making progress, a very slow process, but we are moving forward, it’s tough, it’s complicated.”
Cervera also questioned whether his players were emotionally ready to return to competitive action, acknowledging that while some might welcome football as a distraction, others could struggle to concentrate.
“Both positions are reasonable,” he added.
“On one hand, you want to return to some sense of normality though you know that true normality isn’t something you’ll find right now.
“This isn’t something you can just set aside or push to the back of your mind to focus on your own work; it’s not like other life events you might encounter. It’s always there, constantly on your mind, yet we have to keep going.”
