‘Every minor detail – execute them’: Guruzeta’s journey from injury table to goals with the Basque club

The first time the Athletic striker played in English soil, an young playing for Athletic Bilbao B against Bundesliga youth at the English ground in the 2015 season, he hit the target. During his subsequent match he played in British turf, against the Black Cats weeks after, he converted. Another occasion, against Pep Guardiola’s team soon after, sure enough, he repeated the feat. When he returned to Manchester to play against the Red Devils at Leigh Sports Village in the 2017 season, he found the back of the net. A spectacular strike, as well. “Truly,” he states, “it ranks among my finest in my career.” So Athletic did what they had to do: he was replaced.

“I got well angry,” the Athletic striker reveals, and then he starts laughing. “Probably there’s a recording. We went to play United and I was in fine form. They didn’t let me play the latter period: I hadn’t yet signed deal, goals were flowing, speculation was rife, you know how it is. I’m unsure regarding Newcastle being interested, but I recall seeing about Manchester United, standard transfer gossip. I have no idea if it was accurate, but even if they had called, my desire was to remain at Athletic. I’m fortunate to be here.”

La Real relieve strain with extraordinary derby triumph

At the training ground, the Basque Country, the morning session is about to start; following that, the quick travel to Loiu and a further journey to Britain, now to play Newcastle in the Champions League on midweek. Mentioning that phrase lights him up. This is proving a challenging campaign for the club, partly because of the requirements of competing at this level. Losing in stoppage time in the derby on Saturday, they have secured just a single victory of their last eight matches and fallen to the Gunners and the German side in European competition. Yet, look at the overall situation, the major occasions he’s experienced and those that lie ahead, and he feels a calm gratitude within him.

In the three years since he had returned to the club, Gorka has been a final four contender in Europe, prevented from reaching a domestic final by Manchester United, and has boarded a decades-old barge up the Nervión estuary accompanied by a million fans after lifting the trophy, the first title in a long wait. Currently he stands as Athletic’s top scorer in the European competition, where they are unique and returning after absence in a decade. “I couldn’t have pictured this,” he admits.

Guruzeta thought it difficult enough just to make the first team and his assessment was correct. The son of the one-time rival player the former professional and a regular attendee at the club that are now his rivals, Guruzeta is a product of Antiguoko, the local academy that nurtured the Arsenal manager, the former star and Andoni Iraola. His move to Athletic came at his teens but after his top-level debut in the 2018 season, he suffered a ACL injury, the cut, a relegation and a recall before he could finally secure an opportunity, returning at 26 to enjoy the highlights of their lives.

“Entering the youth system thinking you won’t reach the first team but each step you progress through you’re persisting and you can notice the proximity. You arrive and then … you have to leave.” He had limited game time in half a dozen appearances between his debut and early 2019. “Subsequently I returned to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Five, six games with them and I tear my cruciate.

“It was a huge blow but I look back on it as a turning point because it forced me to alter the way I saw things. The rehabilitation process is hard, but it’s beneficial. You cultivate routines previously lacking. It’s not about neglect, but I attended practice and then go home, typical youth behavior. At Lezama, facilities are comprehensive, so utilize it all. Training, prehab. Strength training. Should your hips be uneven, work on that. With decent ankle function, make it a 12 or a 14. All those ‘silly things’: do them.

“At the top level you’re going to crash into players who have crashed into players countless occasions. Highly robust. Seeing previous pictures: my physique was slight. Thus incidents occur. Present-day images and it’s totally different. The setback taught me. Sessions end, but there’s more to do. Peers are prepared, really ready; you have to be too.”

Game time is essential. The striker moved in tears in 2020, aged 23, joining the second tier. At Sabadell in the 20-21 campaign, he got three strikes in numerous matches. At Amorebieta in the following period, the goals started to flow. “It’s a common path: temporary moves, ended deals. With a turnaround, work, believe, and when eventually they need someone for your role, a return could happen. You have to be ready. When they decided to call again, an aspiration fulfilled. To then win the Copa del Rey, play in Europe, and qualify for Europe’s top tier … pfff.”

Understandably he remarks appreciate the experience. Especially after last year which, sometimes, was involved suffering. From top scorer with a high tally, he managed seven in {15 games more|additional matches|