According to The Sun in the UK, following the death of Tenerife forward Jesús de Miguel, his friend Fernando Román gave an interview describing the painful ordeal faced by Jesús de Miguel's family and his girlfriend María in the wake of the tragedy. Jesús de Miguel died on Tuesday morning at the age of 30 from accidental chest trauma sustained in a collision with Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono.
Román, who currently plays for Talavera, said he did not watch Monday's Tenerife match and learned the news from his girlfriend. He then contacted Jesús de Miguel's partner, María, who had been at the game with their one-year-old daughter, Carla.
Román revealed that María told him she had been alone at the hospital with Jesús de Miguel, and that the sequence of events had taken a heavy toll on her. Upon learning of Jesús de Miguel's critical condition, his parents immediately flew to Tenerife to be with María.
Speaking to the Spanish TV show "Vamos a Ver," Román said: "Yesterday, my girlfriend and I spent the entire afternoon and evening talking to María, who was alone in the hospital. I spoke with his girlfriend, and you can imagine how she is feeling now. We must be there for his family."
"We want to send our love and support to his family, María, and his daughter Carla. Carla is just over a year old."
Román also revealed that the two couples had previously planned a trip to Disneyland with their daughters, a plan that can now never be realized.
"It's truly unbelievable, because we were just talking about taking our daughters to Disneyland, and my daughter was going to go too. I never imagined something like this would happen."
Román also posted a tribute to his friend on social media. He wrote: "My friend... I can't believe you're gone... You don't know how much I will miss you. I didn't just see you as a friend; I always considered you part of my family."
"You were always there to help me when I was in trouble; you stood by my side during the worst moments of my life. Many people didn't truly know you, but having known you, I can say you are one of the best people I have ever met. You were humble, hardworking, and never caused any trouble."
"You always brought joy to those around you, and most importantly, you were truly a good person."
Román also recalled the times they had shared, including a trip to Punta Cana as a foursome, lunches and dinners together, time spent with their daughters, and playing escape rooms.
"Tamara and I are both heartbroken right now, but we know you will keep watching over us from heaven, especially your daughter, María, and your whole family."
"My friend, I will miss you terribly... I love you deeply! Rest in peace!"
The report also revealed that a neighbor of the grieving family told the Spanish TV show "Y ahora Sonsoles" that Jesús de Miguel's father was watching the match on TV at his bar. When he saw the serious collision involving his son on the pitch, he could not hold back his tears.
Forensic pathologists have submitted a preliminary report to the local court in Santa Cruz de Tenerife. The report describes the chest trauma as consistent with the cause of death of the 30-year-old player.
According to the match referee's report, Owono used "excessive force" when challenging for the ball near midfield.