After 28 years in FC Barcelona youth football, the coach of UD Las Palmas, Francisco Javier García Pimienta, will face the Blaugrana team for the first time this Thursday. The coach believes that his team will have to play a "perfect game against one of the best teams in the world" if they want to win at the Gran Canaria Stadium. There are no tickets available. The Canary Islands stadium, with capacity for 32,400 spectators, was sold out.
The yellow coach has admitted that it will be a special game: "I have been there for many years. I don't know how I am going to feel, but we are preparing for the game like everyone else, perhaps we have to influence other facets such as defense, but we must not back down. "You have to be brave, have daring, personality and concentration against a team with a very strong idea of the game, like ours."
Furthermore, he has responded that thanks to the decision of the Barça club chaired by Laporta to dispense with his services in June 2021, he is now in Las Palmas, a club that this season he has taken back to the First Division after taking the reins in January. of 2022. "A long time has passed since that. I have not had contact with Laporta again but I want to thank him. That is why I am here. I had the opportunity to come to Las Palmas six months later and it is an unbeatable story for me "I am very comfortable and I feel very loved," he said.
This Thursday at the Gran Canaria Stadium, two teams will face each other with the same football idea: that of dominating with the ball. Given the similarities, Garía Pimienta contemplates "the possibility of his team" having the ball less than I would like. The players will have to be together when they have to suffer. But the intention is to take it away from Barcelona and compete as we have done against all rivals this season."
Tenth in the table and with 25 points, the Canarian team is six away from the European places and, most importantly, 12 away from relegation. Maintaining the category is the main objective although almost finishing the first round a high percentage of success seems guaranteed. Among the seven victories achieved, the one against Atlético de Madrid or Villarreal stands out. "On a personal level I will take an important step if Las Palmas achieves salvation, not by beating Barça or Madrid. When we beat Atlético, people were very happy. But it would be more for the fans," he clarified.
Regarding the moment that Barcelona is going through, García Pimienta has acknowledged that the Catalan team is "a little off" in the fight for the league title, but even when it does not play well "individualities appear" to resolve the matches, and it has shown itself convinced that in the end he will be fighting "for all the competitions that come his way."
Finally, the Barcelona coach said that it is a "shame" that Pedri, a former UD Las Palmas player, cannot play in this match due to injury. "I really like Pedri for the way he plays and I'm sure he would have been excited to play here. The injuries are affecting him a lot but he has a long way to go. I've been told that he is a lovely person and I hope he recovers as soon as possible," he reflected. He has also confirmed that Julián Araujo, right back on loan from FC Barcelona, will not be able to play due to the fear clause. "We can't do anything but I would avoid the clause. I feel bad for the boy, who was looking forward to the game to show that he can be qualified to play there,” he noted. Alex Suárez is the favorite to take his place.
Yes, Alberto Moleiro will be there, although he has not fully recovered from his shoulder injury. "He is very motivated, as could not be otherwise. We did not imagine that he would go so fast. The discomfort is there and he is running a little strangely. I I dare say that he will be called and that he could participate somewhat,” Pimienta stated.
