‘All those little things – make sure you do them’: The striker’s journey from injury table to scoring with the Basque club
The first time Gorka Guruzeta featured in England, an 18-year-old playing for Athletic Bilbao B against Borussia Mönchengladbach Under-23s at Adams Park in September 2015, he found the net. The second time he appeared in the country, against the Black Cats following that, he netted. Another occasion, against Manchester City soon after, sure enough, he did it once more. When he returned to Manchester to take on Manchester United at Leigh’s ground in the 2017 season, he found the back of the net. It was a superb volley, also. “Truly,” he remarks, “it ranks among my finest in my career.” Thus the club did what they had to do: they substituted him.
“I got well angry,” the attacker admits, then chuckling. “I’m sure there’s footage. We traveled to face United and I was in fine form. They didn’t let me play the second half: I was without a signed deal, goals were flowing, there were lots of rumours, as you’d expect. I’m unsure regarding interest from Newcastle, but I recall seeing about the Red Devils, standard transfer gossip. It’s unclear the validity, but even if they had called, I’d have chosen to stay at Bilbao. I feel lucky to be here.”
La Real relieve strain with extraordinary derby triumph
At the facility, the city, the early training is set to begin; post-session, the short journey to Loiu and another flight to the UK, on this occasion to take on the Magpies in the UCL on Wednesday. Uttering the name brings a smile to his face. It’s turning out to be a challenging campaign for Athletic, partly because of the demands of competing at this level. Beaten in added time in the weekend clash, they have managed just one win of their recent league fixtures and been defeated by Arsenal and the German side in European competition. However, take in the big picture, the big nights he has lived and upcoming events, and he feels a calm gratitude from him.
In the the period since he had come back to Athletic, the striker has been a Europa League semi-finalist, denied at the last hurdle a domestic final by Manchester United, and has ridden an historic vessel along the Nervión river surrounded by a million fans after securing the Spanish cup, the team’s initial silverware in 40 years. Now he is the club’s leading marksman in the UCL, where they are countercultural and making their first appearance in a long period. “I couldn’t have pictured this,” he states.
He considered it hard enough just to earn a spot and that proved true. Born to the former Real Sociedad player Xabi Guruzeta and a regular attendee at the opposition side, Gorka is a graduate of Antiguoko, the local academy that produced the coach, the legendary midfielder and Andoni Iraola. His move to Athletic came at his teens but after his first-team bow in that summer, he went through a ACL injury, being released, a drop in category and a call back before he could truly get a chance, coming back aged 26 to enjoy the highlights of his career.
“You go into the academy thinking you won’t reach the top level but every phase you advance through you’re persisting and you can notice the proximity. You make it and … you have to leave.” He played six, nine, five, one, four and 20 minutes in six games between his first game and February 2019. “Subsequently I returned to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Five, six games with them and my knee gave way.
“It was a huge blow but In retrospect as something positive because it forced me to alter the perspective. The rehabilitation process is hard, but it’s beneficial. You develop habits previously lacking. It’s not about neglect, but I attended practice and then go home, typical youth behavior. At Lezama, you have everything, so utilize it all. Work, precaution. Get in the gym. With hip imbalance, address that. Assuming ankle mobility is good, improve it more. All those ‘silly things’: do them.
“Among professionals you’re going to crash into players who have been in battles repeatedly. Highly robust. Reviewing old images: my legs are chicken legs. Thus incidents occur. Look at pictures of me now and it’s totally different. The setback taught me. Training finishes, but additional work remains. Everyone else is ready, really ready; no exceptions.”
You also have to play. The striker moved upset in the pandemic season, at 23 years old, dropping into the second division. During his Sabadell spell in that season, he scored three times in forty appearances. With Amorebieta in the second half of 2021-22, the goals started to flow. “Players go through it: temporary moves, ended deals. If you turn it round, effort, faith, and when eventually a vacancy arises where you play, they might come back for you. Readiness is vital. When the opportunity came, an aspiration fulfilled. Lifting the cup, play in Europe, and qualify for Europe’s top tier … pfff.”
Little surprise he states savor the moment. Particularly after the prior campaign which, sometimes, was about endurance. Previously the main threat with 16 in 2023-24, he managed seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
