‘All those little things – make sure you do them’: Guruzeta’s path from gurney to scoring with the Basque club
Whenhe first time the Athletic striker featured in the UK, an 18-year-old representing Athletic Bilbao B against Bundesliga youth at Wycombe’s stadium in September 2015, he hit the target. During his subsequent match he appeared in British turf, against the English side weeks after, he converted. The third time, against the Citizens soon after, well, he did it once more. As he revisited to the northwest to face United at Leigh Sports Village in that year, he scored again. It was a superb volley, also. “Truly,” he remarks, “it ranks among my finest I’ve ever scored.” So Athletic did their duty: they took him off.
“I was furious,” the Athletic striker says, and then he starts laughing. “Probably there’s a recording. We traveled to face United and I performed well. They didn’t let me play the second half: my contract wasn’t finalized my contract, I was scoring goals, speculation was rife, it’s typical. I’m unsure regarding interest from Newcastle, but I recall seeing about Man United, the usual talk. It’s unclear if it was accurate, but supposing an offer came, my desire was to remain at Bilbao. It’s a privilege.”
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At the facility, the Basque Country, the early training is set to begin; post-session, the brief trip to Loiu airport and a further journey to the UK, on this occasion to play Newcastle in the UCL on midweek. Mentioning that phrase makes Guruzeta smile. It has become a challenging campaign for Athletic, partially owing to the pressures of being here. Defeated late on in the derby on Saturday, they have secured just a single victory of their past eight league games and fallen to the Gunners and Borussia Dortmund in the continental stage. Yet, look at the overall situation, the major occasions he’s experienced and upcoming events, and there’s a kind of quiet appreciation about him.
In the 36 months since he had returned to the club, the striker has been a Europa League semi-finalist, denied at the last hurdle the showpiece event by Manchester United, and has ridden an historic vessel along the Nervión river accompanied by a million fans after winning the Copa del Rey, the team’s initial silverware in four decades. He’s now Athletic’s top scorer in the Champions League, where they are distinctive and making their first appearance in a decade. “This was beyond my dreams,” he states.
Guruzeta thought it difficult enough just to break into the senior squad and he was right. As the child of the former Real Sociedad player the former professional and a season ticket holder at the opposition side, Gorka is from the Antiguoko academy, the local academy that developed Mikel Arteta, the legendary midfielder and Andoni Iraola. He signed for Athletic at seventeen but after his first-team bow in August 2018, he suffered a ACL injury, dropped, a relegation and a recall before he could earn his place, coming back aged 26 to enjoy the highlights of his career.
“You go into the academy thinking you won’t reach the first team but with every stage you progress through you’re still there and you can see it getting closer. You make it and … departure is necessary.” He played six, nine, five, one, four and 20 minutes in six games between his bow and February 2019. “Subsequently I returned to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Five, six games at that level and I tear my cruciate.
“It was a huge blow but I reflect on it as a turning point because it shifted the perspective. The rehabilitation process is difficult, but it’s beneficial. You adopt practices you didn’t have. It’s not about neglect, but I would go to training and then return home, like when you’re a kid. In the facility, you have everything, so utilize it all. Practice, prevention. Hit the weights. With hip imbalance, correct it. If your ankles are a 10, improve it more. Every small aspect: do them.
“In the first team you’re going to collide with opponents who have been in battles repeatedly. Highly robust. I look at photos of me before: my physique was slight. So what happens, happens. Current photos and the improvement is clear. Recovery revealed that. Sessions end, but further effort is needed. Everyone else is ready, really ready; the same applies.”
Minutes are crucial. Guruzeta departed emotionally in the pandemic season, at 23 years old, moving to a lower level. During his Sabadell spell in that season, he scored three times in numerous matches. During his Amorebieta stint in the second half of 2021-22, the scoring picked up. “Many experience this: transfers, releases. Should you reverse it, dedication, confidence, and if one day they need someone where you play, a return could happen. Preparation is key. When the opportunity came, an aspiration fulfilled. To then win the Copa del Rey, compete continentally, and qualify for Europe’s top tier … pfff.”
No wonder he says appreciate the experience. Especially after the previous season which, on occasions, was about endurance. Previously the main threat with sixteen goals, last season he got seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
