Raphinha scored twice and was named player of the match as Barcelona beat Aston Villa in the Champions League on Tuesday night, but the Brazilian captain used his post-match interview to mourn Jesús de Miguel, the Tenerife forward who died after a collision with Andorra goalkeeper Jesús Owono — telling reporters that the night’s football results mattered far less than the loss of life in Spanish football, infobae.com reported.
While Barcelona celebrated a European victory, the Spanish second division match between Tenerife and Andorra ended in tragedy when de Miguel collided with Owono, was taken to hospital, and later died, according to lne.es.
Raphinha’s Brace Against Aston Villa
On the pitch, Raphinha was the standout performer for Barcelona against Aston Villa. The Brazilian forward netted two goals and was voted the match’s MVP, giving him every reason to be the story of the night. Instead, when he faced the media, he set all of that aside, infobae.com reported.
Raphinha moves past Neymar and Rivaldo and joins Robert Lewandowski in third place on Barcelona’s all-time UCL scoring list 👏 38 goal contributions in 36 career UCL appearances 😤 pic.twitter.com/3eOojLYgek
“I don’t want to talk about football,” Raphinha said. “I want to send a lot of strength to Jesús’s family and wish that he rests in peace.”
He declined to discuss the match or his own two goals, saying the news of de Miguel’s death had completely changed the meaning of the interview. “This could happen to anyone,” he added. “It’s very hard, especially when we’ve just learned the news. It’s complicated to go out and play a match in a situation like that, because the same thing could happen to you or to anyone close to you. Today is not a good day to talk about football.”
The Collision That Killed Jesús de Miguel
De Miguel, a forward for CD Tenerife, died after colliding with Jesús Owono, the goalkeeper of Andorra FC, during the two clubs’ league match. The impact was severe enough to send de Miguel to hospital, and the Tenerife player later died, lne.es reported. Owono, who was involved in the incident that led to the hospitalization, has been left struggling with the aftermath, infobae.com noted.
Andorra FC issued a public statement through its official channels: “With broken hearts and devastated, we want to send our most sincere condolences to the family of Jesús de Miguel, to all his teammates, friends and to CD Tenerife. Rest in peace.”
A Wave of Condolences Across Spanish Football
The death of de Miguel prompted an outpouring of reactions from clubs, players and fans across the sporting world, infobae.com reported. Barcelona’s response came not only from Raphinha but from the club’s head coach, Hansi Flick, who opened his own press conference with a message of grief — though his words were directed at a separate tragedy, the train accident in Urda, Toledo, that killed 69 people, lne.es reported.
The contrast made it clear how much the day affected Spanish football: officials and players were grieving both the rail disaster and the death of a teammate on the pitch within hours.
Why Raphinha’s Words Resonated
The Barcelona players dedicated their victory to de Miguel and to their colleagues across the game, lne.es reported, turning a Champions League win into a tribute.
What Happens Next for Tenerife and Andorra
The match between Tenerife and Andorra has left both dressing rooms deeply shaken, infobae.com reported, and the focus for both teams shifts to supporting de Miguel’s family, teammates and friends in the coming days.
For Barcelona, the Champions League victory over Aston Villa stands, with Raphinha’s brace securing his MVP honors — but the captain made clear that on this night, the result was secondary.
