‘Every minor detail – execute them’: Guruzeta’s journey from injury table to success with Athletic Bilbao
The initial occasion the Athletic striker competed in English soil, an teenage representing Athletic Bilbao B against Bundesliga youth at Adams Park in September 2015, he found the net. During his subsequent match he took the field in the country, against Sunderland two months later, he scored. Another occasion, against the Citizens soon after, indeed, he did it once more. When he returned to Manchester to take on Manchester United at Leigh Sports Village in that year, he found the back of the net. An excellent finish, also. “Truly,” he says, “it’s one of the best goals I’ve netted.” Thus the club did their duty: they took him off.
“I got well angry,” the Athletic striker reveals, then chuckling. “There must be a video somewhere. We went to play United and I was pretty good. They kept me out of the latter period: I was without a signed deal, goals were flowing, there were lots of rumours, you know how it is. No confirmation on interest from Newcastle, but I remember reading about Man United, the usual talk. It’s unclear the validity, but even if they had called, my desire was to remain at Bilbao. I’m fortunate to be here.”
La Real relieve strain with extraordinary derby triumph
At the training ground, Bilbao, the early training is set to begin; following that, the quick travel to Loiu and another trip to Britain, this time to play Newcastle in the UCL on the upcoming match. Uttering the name makes Guruzeta smile. It’s turning out to be a tough year for Athletic, due in part to the pressures of being here. Beaten in added time in the derby on Saturday, they have won only one of their recent league fixtures and lost against Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund in European competition. But, look at the overall situation, the memorable evenings and upcoming events, and there’s a kind of quiet appreciation about him.
In the 36 months since he had come back to Athletic, Gorka has been a final four contender in Europe, denied at the last hurdle a final at home by United, and has ridden an historic vessel through the waterway surrounded by a huge crowd after winning the Copa del Rey, the first title in a long wait. Now he is the top goal-getter in the UCL, where they are countercultural and making their first appearance in a long period. “This was beyond my dreams,” he admits.
Guruzeta thought it challenging enough just to make the first team and that proved true. As the child of the former Real Sociedad player Xabi Guruzeta and a dedicated fan at the opposition side, Guruzeta is a product of Antiguoko, the local academy that developed the Arsenal manager, the former star and the tactician. He signed for Athletic at seventeen but after making his senior debut in that summer, he experienced a torn cruciate, the cut, a drop in category and a call back before he could truly get a chance, coming back aged 26 to experience the peak of his career.
“Joining the setup thinking you won’t reach the top level but with every stage you go through you’re remaining and you can observe the approach. You get there but … you’re sent away.” He had limited game time in half a dozen appearances between his first game and February 2019. “Subsequently I returned to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. A few matches there and I tear my cruciate.
“A massive setback but I reflect on it as a turning point because it made me change the perspective. The rehabilitation process is difficult, but it’s beneficial. You develop habits you didn’t have. It’s not about neglect, but I would go to training and then return home, as a youngster does. In the facility, all resources are available, so take full advantage. Training, prehab. Hit the weights. If your hips aren’t balanced, work on that. Assuming ankle mobility is good, improve it more. Every small aspect: do them.
“In the first team you’re going to crash into players who have been in battles countless occasions. Highly robust. Seeing previous pictures: I had slender legs. Injuries are inevitable. Look at pictures of me now and the change is dramatic. The setback taught me. Training finishes, but further effort is needed. Peers are prepared, really ready; no exceptions.”
Minutes are crucial. He left emotionally in that year, at 23 years old, moving to a lower level. At Sabadell in that season, he netted three goals in forty appearances. At Amorebieta in the second half of 2021-22, the scoring picked up. “Players go through it: temporary moves, ended deals. With a turnaround, dedication, confidence, and if one day they need someone for your role, they might come back for you. You have to be ready. When they decided to call again, a fantasy realized. The trophy success, European football, and reach the Champions League … pfff.”
No wonder he says this is to be enjoyed. All the more so after the previous season which, at times, was focused on persistence. Previously the main threat with a high tally, last season he got seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
