'When UD Almería got in touch, it became my first choice and the conversations were quick and straightforward,' stated Francisco Javier García Pimienta as he was officially presented as UD Almería's new head coach.

The Catalan arrives with a clear understanding of the challenge ahead, one he successfully overcame during his time at UD Las Palmas. Club CEO Mohamed El Assy welcomed the new head coach and expressed the Club's full confidence in his appointment, highlighting that García Pimienta 'already knows what it takes to earn promotion to LaLiga and secure survival in the top flight.'

'It's the objective many clubs set themselves at the start of the season, but not everyone achieves it,' García Pimienta said. 'I know how demanding this league is and UD Almería came within one goal of promotion last season,' he added.

The new gaffer stressed that there is a strong foundation already in place at the Club: 'We'll keep everything that has worked well. This squad has a great deal of quality, so there will be continuity, while naturally introducing our own ideas and the principles of the new coaching staff.'

Discussing his footballing philosophy, García Pimienta explained: 'I like my teams to take the initiative by controlling possession, although there will also be moments when we have to suffer. At UD Las Palmas we were very solid defensively, kept plenty of clean sheets and combined that with being proactive on the ball and maintaining good defensive organisation.'

'A team needs a clear identity. We don't want to be predictable, we want to defend well while adapting to each opponent. Consistency is essential and everyone has to believe in the work we do,' he explained.

García Pimienta also revealed that, despite receiving offers from other clubs and abroad, choosing UD Almería was an easy decision. 'Everything happened very naturally because it was the perfect fit. This Club has very solid foundations and a clear footballing identity. They knew exactly the profile of head coach they were looking for, which made everything very straightforward. I'm committed to developing that model while adding my own ideas. I feel very comfortable with the methodology already in place at the Club.'

Asked about the composition of the squad and the summer transfer window, the new head coach said: 'We're discussing all of those matters and we know the profile of players we want. I have great belief in the players already here and we'll strengthen the positions that need reinforcing. We'll see how the market develops, but I'm convinced we'll have a top-level squad.'

García Pimienta also paid tribute to his predecessor, Rubi, praising the work he carried out at UD Almería and the career he has built as a head coach.