‘All those silly things – do them’: Guruzeta’s journey from injury table to success with Athletic Bilbao
Thehe first time Gorka Guruzeta featured in English soil, an 18-year-old representing the reserve team against Borussia Mönchengladbach Under-23s at Adams Park in September 2015, he found the net. The second time he appeared in British turf, against the English side two months later, he scored. His third outing, against the Citizens not long later, sure enough, he scored again. When he returned to Manchester to face United at Leigh’s ground in the 2017 season, he did it once more. An excellent finish, also. “In fact,” he states, “it’s a top-class goal in my career.” So Athletic did their duty: they substituted him.
“I became very upset,” the forward says, and then he starts laughing. “Probably there’s a recording. We traveled to face United and I performed well. I wasn’t allowed to feature the final 45 minutes: I was without a signed agreement, I kept finding the net, many stories circulated, you know how it is. I don’t know about the Magpies’ pursuit, but I came across reports about Man United, standard transfer gossip. I’m not certain how true it was, but even if they had called, my desire was to remain at Bilbao. I feel lucky to be here.”
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At Lezama, the city, the early training is about to start; after it, the quick travel to the airport and another trip to the UK, on this occasion to play Newcastle in the Champions League on Wednesday. Uttering the name lights him up. It’s turning out to be a tough year for Athletic, partly because of the pressures of competing at this level. Defeated late on in the local rivalry, they have secured just a single victory of their recent league fixtures and lost against Arsenal and Dortmund in the continental stage. However, take in the big picture, the big nights he has lived and those that lie ahead, and he feels a calm gratitude about him.
In the the period since he had returned to the club, Guruzeta has been a final four contender in Europe, prevented from reaching the showpiece event by United, and has ridden an historic vessel through the waterway accompanied by a million fans after lifting the trophy, the club’s first trophy in a long wait. Now he is the club’s leading marksman in the UCL, where they are countercultural and debuting in a long period. “I couldn’t have pictured this,” he admits.
The player believed it difficult enough just to break into the senior squad and his assessment was correct. Born to the one-time rival player Xabi Guruzeta and a dedicated fan at the opposition side, Gorka is a graduate of Antiguoko, the San Sebastián club that nurtured Mikel Arteta, the legendary midfielder and the tactician. His move to Athletic came at seventeen but after his top-level debut in that summer, he experienced a torn cruciate, being released, a relegation and a call back before he could earn his place, returning at 26 to experience the peak of the club’s history.
“Entering the youth system thinking you won’t reach the top level but every phase you advance through you’re still there and you can see it getting closer. You arrive and then … departure is necessary.” He had limited game time in a handful of matches between his bow and February 2019. “Subsequently I returned to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Five, six games there and I suffered the ACL injury.
“A massive setback but In retrospect as something positive because it shifted the outlook. Healing from a serious ailment is hard, but it aids growth. You cultivate routines new to you. It’s not about neglect, but I attended practice and then head home, typical youth behavior. At the complex, all resources are available, so take full advantage. Training, prehab. Strength training. Should your hips be uneven, correct it. Assuming ankle mobility is good, enhance it further. All those ‘silly things’: perform them.
“In the first team you’re going to face physical challenges who have been in battles repeatedly. Extremely powerful. Seeing previous pictures: my legs are chicken legs. So what happens, happens. Look at pictures of me now and it’s totally different. Recovery revealed that. Sessions end, but additional work remains. Peers are prepared, really ready; you have to be too.”
You also have to play. The striker moved upset in that year, in his early twenties, joining the second tier. With Sabadell in 2020-21, he scored three times in numerous matches. At Amorebieta in the second half of 2021-22, the goals started to flow. “Many experience this: transfers, releases. If you turn it round, effort, faith, and should the time come the requirement appears where you play, they might come back for you. Readiness is vital. Upon the recall, it was a dream come true. The trophy success, play in Europe, and make the UCL … pfff.”
Little surprise he states savor the moment. Especially after the previous season which, sometimes, was focused on persistence. After being leading scorer with sixteen goals, his output dropped to seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
