Tenerife flag to fly at half-mast at Mestalla in tribute to Jesús de Miguel

Tenerife’s flag will fly at half-mast at Mestalla from Saturday in tribute to Jesús de Miguel, a Tenerife forward who died this week aged 30. The gesture will accompany the Liga match between Valencia and Real Madrid, scheduled at Mestalla for 9pm. Valencia has also prepared several ways to honour the player’s memory.

The flag will remain at half-mast until the end of the Primera and Segunda matchday. Before the game, players from both teams will enter the pitch in alternating order, wearing commemorative shirts dedicated to Jesús de Miguel and carrying a bouquet of flowers in his memory. Valencia will thus join an act of remembrance that will include other gestures of mourning.

Jesús de Miguel’s death has prompted an outpouring of condolences across Spanish football. He died on Tuesday at Hospital Universitario Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria, where he had been in critical condition after suffering a cardiorespiratory arrest caused by a heavy impact during Tenerife’s match against Andorra on Monday at Heliodoro Rodríguez López. The incident happened in the closing minutes, when Jesús de Miguel collided with visiting goalkeeper Jesús Owono as they challenged for a loose ball.

Valencia also sent a message to the player’s loved ones and CD Tenerife. In its statement, the club said: “Valencia CF wishes to convey its deepest condolences to the family, friends and teammates of Jesús de Miguel, as well as to CD Tenerife, during these very difficult moments.”

Calls, including one from AFE, had been made for all professional football matches to be called off this weekend. LaLiga ultimately decided that fixtures in Primera and Segunda would go ahead, with tributes and moments of mourning. LaLiga has also planned commemorative gestures for every match of the round, placing Valencia’s tribute within a wider response across Spanish football.