‘All those little things – make sure you do them’: Guruzeta’s road from gurney to scoring with Athletic Bilbao
The initial occasion Gorka Guruzeta competed in England, an young representing the youth squad against Borussia Mönchengladbach Under-23s at the English ground in fall 2015, he scored. During his subsequent match he played in England, against the English side weeks after, he scored. Another occasion, against the Citizens soon after, indeed, he did it once more. Upon his comeback to the city to play against the Red Devils at the sports complex in 2017, he found the back of the net. A spectacular strike, too. “In fact,” he says, “it’s a top-class goal I’ve ever scored.” Thus the club did what was necessary: they took him off.
“I was furious,” the Athletic striker admits, and then he starts laughing. “I’m sure there’s footage. We traveled to face United and I was pretty good. I wasn’t allowed to feature the second half: I hadn’t yet signed my contract, I kept finding the net, speculation was rife, you know how it is. I’m unsure regarding the Magpies’ pursuit, but I recall seeing about Manchester United, the typical thing. It’s unclear how true it was, but even if they had called, I’d have chosen to stay at Athletic. It’s a privilege.”
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At the training ground, the city, the early training is set to begin; post-session, the brief trip to the airport and another flight to England, now to play Newcastle in the Champions League on the upcoming match. Just saying those two words makes Guruzeta smile. It’s turning out to be a difficult season for the club, partially owing to the requirements of competing at this level. Beaten in added time in the local rivalry, they have managed just one win of their last eight matches and lost against Arsenal and the German side in the continental stage. Yet, consider the broader view, the big nights he has lived and those that lie ahead, and a sense of thankful reflection from him.
In the 36 months since he had come back to Athletic, the striker has been a final four contender in Europe, denied at the last hurdle a domestic final by United, and has boarded a decades-old barge along the Nervión river surrounded by a huge crowd after securing the Spanish cup, the team’s initial silverware in four decades. Now he is the top goal-getter in the European competition, where they are countercultural and returning after absence in ten years. “I never imagined this,” he states.
Guruzeta thought it difficult enough just to make the first team and his assessment was correct. Born to the ex-La Real star the former professional and a dedicated fan at the opposition side, the forward is from the Antiguoko academy, the San Sebastián club that nurtured the coach, Xabi Alonso and the Bournemouth manager. His move to Athletic came at seventeen but after making his senior debut in August 2018, he went through a serious knee problem, dropped, a demotion and a recall before he could earn his place, making his comeback to enjoy the highlights of the club’s history.
“Entering the youth system not expecting to reach the top level but each step you go through you’re still there and you can see it getting closer. You arrive and then … you’re sent away.” He had limited game time in a handful of matches between his first game and that period. “And then I go back down to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. A few matches there and I suffered the ACL injury.
“A severe disappointment but I look back on it as something positive because it forced me to alter the way I saw things. Recovering from a long-term injury is challenging, but it helps. You develop habits new to you. It’s not about neglect, but I attended practice and then go home, as a youngster does. At the complex, you have everything, so do everything. Work, precaution. Hit the weights. Should your hips be uneven, correct it. Assuming ankle mobility is good, make it a 12 or a 14. All the minor details: perform them.
“In the first team you’re going to collide with opponents who have experienced contact 200,000 times. Highly robust. Seeing previous pictures: my legs are chicken legs. Thus incidents occur. Present-day images and the change is dramatic. Recovery revealed that. Training finishes, but additional work remains. Everyone else is ready, really ready; the same applies.”
Minutes are crucial. Guruzeta departed in tears in 2020, aged 23, moving to a lower level. During his Sabadell spell in 2020-21, he netted three goals in 40 games. During his Amorebieta stint in the second half of 2021-22, the goals started to flow. “Many experience this: temporary moves, ended deals. With a turnaround, work, believe, and if one day the requirement appears where you play, they might come back for you. Readiness is vital. When the opportunity came, a fantasy realized. The trophy success, European football, and make the UCL … pfff.”
No wonder he says appreciate the experience. Especially after the prior campaign which, sometimes, was about endurance. From top scorer with sixteen goals, his output dropped to seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
