Unai Emery, the first head coach to guide UD Almería to the top flight of Spanish football, has praised the remarkable transformation the Club has undergone since his time in charge and expressed his confidence that the team will soon return to LaLiga EA Sports.

The current English-side Aston Villa manager, who recently won the UEFA Europa League during the 2025/26 season, was one of the main figures at the Almería Sports Press Association Gala held at the Vícar Auditorium, just 48 hours after UD Almería's defeat in the promotion play-off final.

The Basque head coach sent a message of encouragement to the entire Rijiblancos family and did not hesitate to state: 'UD Almería will return to LaLiga EA Sports through perseverance. I'm sure of it.'

'The Club has changed dramatically and the new ownership has got big ambitions' he added. 

Mr Emery, who led the team to promotion in the 2006/07 season before securing their top-flight status in 2007/08, spoke positively about the Club's growth, saying: 'In my time there were 4,500 of us. Now there are more than 11,000. There's a real sense of belonging and that is vital.'

Accompanied at the event by Alberto Benito, who served as UD Almería's sporting director during different periods, Emery concluded: 'Part of my heart belongs to UD Almería and from afar I will continue supporting the team.'