‘All those little things – make sure you do them’: Guruzeta’s road from rehabilitation to scoring with Athletic Bilbao
Whenhe initial occasion Gorka Guruzeta played in English soil, an young appearing for the youth squad against Borussia Mönchengladbach Under-23s at Adams Park in the 2015 season, he hit the target. During his subsequent match he appeared in the country, against Sunderland weeks after, he scored. His third outing, against Manchester City six weeks after that, well, he scored again. Upon his comeback to the northwest to play against the Red Devils at Leigh Sports Village in that year, he found the back of the net. It was a superb volley, also. “In fact,” he states, “it’s a top-class goal I’ve ever scored.” Therefore the team did what they had to do: they substituted him.
“I got well angry,” the forward says, then chuckling. “There must be a video somewhere. We went to play United and I was pretty good. They didn’t let me play the final 45 minutes: I was without a signed deal, goals were flowing, many stories circulated, it’s typical. I’m unsure regarding Newcastle being interested, but I came across reports about Manchester United, standard transfer gossip. It’s unclear how true it was, but had they contacted me, I would have wanted to stay at Bilbao. I’m fortunate to be here.”
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At the training ground, the city, the early training is about to start; post-session, the short journey to Loiu airport and a further journey to England, on this occasion to play Newcastle in the Champions League on midweek. Just saying those two words makes Guruzeta smile. This is proving a challenging campaign for Athletic, due in part to the pressures of their participation. Defeated late on in the weekend clash, they have secured just a single victory of their last eight matches and fallen to the Gunners and Borussia Dortmund in the continental stage. But, look at the overall situation, the major occasions he’s experienced and future challenges, and a sense of thankful reflection within him.
In the 36 months since he had come back to Athletic, Guruzeta has been a final four contender in Europe, stopped at the gates a final at home by United, and has boarded a decades-old barge through the waterway accompanied by countless supporters after lifting the trophy, the club’s first trophy in a long wait. Now he is the top goal-getter in the European competition, where they are unique and debuting in a long period. “I couldn’t have pictured this,” he admits.
The player believed it challenging enough just to break into the senior squad and he was right. The son of the former Real Sociedad player Xabi Guruzeta and a dedicated fan at the club that are now his rivals, Guruzeta is a product of Antiguoko, the Donostiarra team that produced the Arsenal manager, the legendary midfielder and the Bournemouth manager. He joined Athletic at 17 but after his top-level debut in August 2018, he went through a torn cruciate, dropped, a relegation and a return before he could finally secure an opportunity, coming back aged 26 to experience the peak of their lives.
“Joining the setup not expecting to reach the top level but with every stage you advance through you’re persisting and you can observe the approach. You get there but … you’re sent away.” He had limited game time in half a dozen appearances between his first game and that period. “And then I go back down to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. A few matches there and my knee gave way.
“A severe disappointment but I reflect on it as a beneficial experience because it made me change the perspective. The rehabilitation process is challenging, but it helps. You develop habits you didn’t have. It’s not that you don’t look after yourself, but I would go to training and then head home, as a youngster does. In the facility, you have everything, so do everything. Practice, prevention. Get in the gym. Should your hips be uneven, work on that. Assuming ankle mobility is good, enhance it further. All those ‘silly things’: execute them.
“In the first team you’re going to face physical challenges who have been in battles countless occasions. Extremely powerful. Seeing previous pictures: I had slender legs. Injuries are inevitable. Look at pictures of me now and it’s totally different. The setback taught me. Sessions end, but additional work remains. Peers are prepared, really ready; the same applies.”
You also have to play. Guruzeta departed in tears in that year, aged 23, joining the second tier. During his Sabadell spell in the 20-21 campaign, he netted three goals in numerous matches. During his Amorebieta stint in the following period, the he found his form. “It’s a common path: transfers, releases. With a turnaround, dedication, confidence, and when eventually the requirement appears where you play, they might come back for you. Readiness is vital. When they decided to call again, a fantasy realized. Lifting the cup, compete continentally, and make the UCL … pfff.”
Little surprise he states appreciate the experience. Particularly after last year which, at times, was about endurance. Previously the main threat with 16 in 2023-24, he managed seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
