‘All those little things – make sure you do them’: Guruzeta’s journey from injury table to success with the Basque club

Whenhe debut appearance the Athletic striker competed in English soil, an 18-year-old playing for Athletic Bilbao B against Borussia Mönchengladbach Under-23s at Adams Park in the 2015 season, he hit the target. The second time he played in the country, against the Black Cats weeks after, he scored. Another occasion, against Pep Guardiola’s team soon after, well, he did it once more. Upon his comeback to the city to face United at the sports complex in that year, he scored again. It was a superb volley, also. “Truly,” he remarks, “it ranks among my finest in my career.” Therefore the team did what was necessary: he was replaced.

“I was furious,” the Athletic striker admits, and then he starts laughing. “I’m sure there’s footage. We went to play United and I was pretty good. They kept me out of the latter period: I was without a signed agreement, goals were flowing, there were lots of rumours, as you’d expect. No confirmation on Newcastle being interested, but I recall seeing about Manchester United, the typical thing. I’m not certain the validity, but even if they had called, I would have wanted to stay at Bilbao. I feel lucky to be here.”

Real Sociedad ease tension with bizarre win in unique Basque clash

At Lezama, the city, the morning session is set to begin; post-session, the short journey to the airport and a further journey to England, now to face Newcastle in the European elite competition on midweek. Just saying those two words makes Guruzeta smile. It’s turning out to be a challenging campaign for Athletic, partially owing to the demands of their participation. Defeated late on in the derby on Saturday, they have won only one of their past eight league games and been defeated by Arsenal and the German side in European competition. However, consider the broader view, the memorable evenings and upcoming events, and he feels a calm gratitude within him.

In the the period since he had come back to Athletic, Gorka has been a semi-final participant, stopped at the gates the showpiece event by the English giants, and has ridden an historic vessel along the Nervión river surrounded by a huge crowd after winning the Copa del Rey, the first title in 40 years. Currently he stands as the club’s leading marksman in the Champions League, where they are countercultural and returning after absence in a decade. “I never imagined this,” he admits.

Guruzeta thought it hard enough just to break into the senior squad and that proved true. The son of the one-time rival player the former professional and a dedicated fan at the opposition side, Guruzeta is from the Antiguoko academy, the San Sebastián club that nurtured Mikel Arteta, Xabi Alonso and the Bournemouth manager. He signed for Athletic at 17 but after his first-team bow in that summer, he experienced a torn cruciate, dropped, a demotion and a return before he could truly get a chance, making his comeback to enjoy the highlights of their lives.

“Entering the youth system doubting you’ll make the senior squad but every phase you progress through you’re still there and you can see it getting closer. You get there but … you have to leave.” He had limited game time in a handful of matches between his bow and early 2019. “Subsequently I returned to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Five, six games with them and my knee gave way.

“A massive setback but I look back on it as a beneficial experience because it shifted the outlook. Recovering from a long-term injury is difficult, but it’s beneficial. You cultivate routines you didn’t have. It’s not that you don’t look after yourself, but I did the sessions and then return home, as a youngster does. At the complex, facilities are comprehensive, so utilize it all. Training, prehab. Get in the gym. Should your hips be uneven, address that. With decent ankle function, enhance it further. Every small aspect: perform them.

“At the top level you’re going to face physical challenges who have crashed into players countless occasions. Highly robust. Reviewing old images: my legs are chicken legs. Injuries are inevitable. Look at pictures of me now and the change is dramatic. Recovery revealed that. Training finishes, but additional work remains. Teammates are set, really ready; no exceptions.”

You also have to play. The striker moved in tears in 2020, in his early twenties, dropping into the second division. With Sabadell in the 20-21 campaign, he scored three times in 40 games. With Amorebieta in the latter part of the season, the goals started to flow. “Players go through it: loans, terminated contracts. Should you reverse it, work, believe, and if one day they need someone for your role, recall is possible. You have to be ready. Upon the recall, it was a dream come true. Lifting the cup, European football, and make the UCL … pfff.”

No wonder he says appreciate the experience. All the more so after the prior campaign which, at times, was about endurance. Previously the main threat with sixteen goals, he managed seven in {15 games more|additional matches|