‘Every minor detail – execute them’: Guruzeta’s road from injury table to scoring with Athletic Bilbao
Thehe first time the Spanish forward featured in the UK, an young representing the youth squad against Bundesliga youth at the English ground in fall 2015, he found the net. During his subsequent match he played in England, against the English side following that, he scored. His third outing, against Manchester City soon after, indeed, he scored again. Upon his comeback to Manchester to play against the Red Devils at the sports complex in 2017, he did it once more. A spectacular strike, also. “Truly,” he remarks, “it’s one of the best goals in my career.” Thus the club did what they had to do: they took him off.
“I got well angry,” the forward admits, then chuckling. “I’m sure there’s footage. Our match against United and I was in fine form. They kept me out of the final 45 minutes: I was without a signed agreement, I kept finding the net, speculation was rife, you know how it is. No confirmation on Newcastle being interested, but I remember reading about Manchester United, the usual talk. It’s unclear the validity, but had they contacted me, my desire was to remain at Athletic. It’s a privilege.”
La Real relieve strain with extraordinary derby triumph
At the training ground, the city, the morning session is ready to commence; post-session, the brief trip to the airport and another trip to Britain, now to take on the Magpies in the European elite competition on Wednesday. Just saying those two words makes Guruzeta smile. This is proving a tough year for the club, due in part to the demands of being here. Beaten in added time in the derby on Saturday, they have managed just one win of their last eight matches and fallen to the Gunners and Borussia Dortmund in Europe. But, look at the overall situation, the big nights he has lived and upcoming events, and there’s a kind of quiet appreciation from him.
In the three years since he had come back to Athletic, Gorka has been a semi-final participant, stopped at the gates a domestic final by United, and has ridden an historic vessel along the Nervión river surrounded by a huge crowd after lifting the trophy, the team’s initial silverware in 40 years. Now he is the top goal-getter in the European competition, where they are distinctive and making their first appearance in a long period. “This was beyond my dreams,” he states.
Guruzeta thought it challenging enough just to earn a spot and he was right. The son of the ex-La Real star the former professional and a dedicated fan at the opposition side, Gorka is a graduate of Antiguoko, the Donostiarra team that produced Mikel Arteta, Xabi Alonso and the tactician. He signed for Athletic at seventeen but after his first-team bow in August 2018, he suffered a ACL injury, being released, a drop in category and a call back before he could earn his place, coming back aged 26 to experience the peak of their lives.
“Entering the youth system thinking you won’t reach the first team but every phase you go through you’re remaining and you can observe the approach. You get there but … you have to leave.” He had limited game time in half a dozen appearances between his debut and February 2019. “Subsequently I returned to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Several appearances there and I suffered the ACL injury.
“It was a huge blow but I reflect on it as a turning point because it forced me to alter the way I saw things. Healing from a serious ailment is challenging, but it helps. You adopt practices new to you. It’s not about neglect, but I attended practice and then go home, typical youth behavior. At Lezama, facilities are comprehensive, so do everything. Training, prehab. Strength training. With hip imbalance, address that. With decent ankle function, improve it more. Every small aspect: execute them.
“In the first team you’re going to face physical challenges who have been in battles 200,000 times. Extremely powerful. Seeing previous pictures: my legs are chicken legs. So what happens, happens. Look at pictures of me now and the change is dramatic. The setback taught me. Practice concludes, but additional work remains. Everyone else is ready, really ready; you have to be too.”
You also have to play. The striker moved emotionally in the pandemic season, aged 23, dropping into the second division. During his Sabadell spell in 2020-21, he got three strikes in numerous matches. At Amorebieta in the latter part of the season, the goals started to flow. “Players go through it: temporary moves, ended deals. With a turnaround, effort, faith, and if one day the requirement appears where you play, recall is possible. Preparation is key. Upon the recall, a fantasy realized. To then win the Copa del Rey, compete continentally, and qualify for Europe’s top tier … pfff.”
No wonder he says appreciate the experience. Especially after the prior campaign which, on occasions, was focused on persistence. Previously the main threat with a high tally, his output dropped to seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
