‘All those silly things – do them’: Guruzeta’s path from injury table to success with Athletic Bilbao
Whenhe first time the Athletic striker played in England, an teenage appearing for Athletic Bilbao B against Borussia Mönchengladbach Under-23s at Wycombe’s stadium in the 2015 season, he found the net. On his next visit he appeared in England, against Sunderland following that, he converted. The third time, against Manchester City not long later, sure enough, he scored again. When he returned to the northwest to take on Manchester United at Leigh’s ground in that year, he found the back of the net. A spectacular strike, also. “In fact,” he states, “it ranks among my finest in my career.” Thus the club did their duty: they substituted him.
“I was furious,” the attacker says, before breaking into laughter. “I’m sure there’s footage. Our match against United and I was in fine form. They didn’t let me play the latter period: I hadn’t yet signed my contract, goals were flowing, there were lots of rumours, as you’d expect. I don’t know about interest from Newcastle, but I remember reading about Manchester United, the typical thing. I’m not certain how true it was, but even if they had called, I would have wanted to stay at the club. It’s a privilege.”
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At the facility, Bilbao, the day’s first practice is about to start; post-session, the brief trip to the airport and another flight to the UK, this time to take on the Magpies in the European elite competition on midweek. Uttering the name makes Guruzeta smile. It has become a difficult season for Athletic, partially owing to the pressures of competing at this level. Defeated late on in the weekend clash, they have managed just one win of their last eight matches and been defeated by Arsenal and Dortmund in European competition. However, consider the broader view, the memorable evenings and those that lie ahead, and he feels a calm gratitude within him.
In the the period since he had come back to Athletic, Gorka has been a final four contender in Europe, stopped at the gates a domestic final by Manchester United, and has boarded a decades-old barge up the Nervión estuary accompanied by a huge crowd after securing the Spanish cup, the first title in four decades. Currently he stands as the top goal-getter in the European competition, where they are countercultural and debuting in ten years. “I never imagined this,” he says.
The player believed it challenging enough just to make the first team and his assessment was correct. As the child of the one-time rival player Xabi Guruzeta and a season ticket holder at the club that are now his rivals, the forward is a graduate of Antiguoko, the San Sebastián club that nurtured the Arsenal manager, the former star and Andoni Iraola. His move to Athletic came at 17 but after making his senior debut in August 2018, he went through a ACL injury, the cut, a demotion and a call back before he could truly get a chance, making his comeback to live the best days of the club’s history.
“Entering the youth system thinking you won’t reach the top level but with every stage you advance through you’re persisting and you can observe the approach. You arrive and then … you have to leave.” He played six, nine, five, one, four and 20 minutes in a handful of matches between his bow and February 2019. “Then I was sent to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Five, six games with them and my knee gave way.
“It was a huge blow but I reflect on it as a turning point because it made me change the way I saw things. Recovering from a long-term injury is hard, but it aids growth. You adopt practices previously lacking. It’s not about neglect, but I would go to training and then go home, like when you’re a kid. At Lezama, you have everything, so take full advantage. Practice, prevention. Hit the weights. With hip imbalance, correct it. With decent ankle function, make it a 12 or a 14. All those ‘silly things’: do them.
“In the first team you’re going to collide with opponents who have experienced contact repeatedly. Highly robust. I look at photos of me before: I had slender legs. Injuries are inevitable. Current photos and the improvement is clear. The setback taught me. Practice concludes, but further effort is needed. Teammates are set, really ready; the same applies.”
You also have to play. Guruzeta departed upset in that year, in his early twenties, moving to a lower level. At Sabadell in the 20-21 campaign, he scored three times in numerous matches. At Amorebieta in the second half of 2021-22, the scoring picked up. “Many experience this: transfers, releases. If you turn it round, work, believe, and should the time come a vacancy arises where you play, they might come back for you. Preparation is key. When the opportunity came, a fantasy realized. To then win the Copa del Rey, European football, and qualify for Europe’s top tier … pfff.”
No wonder he says this is to be enjoyed. All the more so after the previous season which, sometimes, was focused on persistence. Previously the main threat with a high tally, he managed seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
