‘Every minor detail – execute them’: The striker’s journey from injury table to success with Athletic
Thehe first time Gorka Guruzeta played in English soil, an 18-year-old appearing for the youth squad against Borussia Mönchengladbach Under-23s at the English ground in September 2015, he hit the target. On his next visit he appeared in England, against the English side two months later, he netted. Another occasion, against Manchester City soon after, indeed, he did it once more. When he returned to Manchester to face United at the sports complex in the 2017 season, he did it once more. It was a superb volley, also. “In fact,” he remarks, “it’s one of the best goals I’ve netted.” So Athletic did what was necessary: they substituted him.
“I became very upset,” the attacker reveals, and then he starts laughing. “There must be a video somewhere. We went to play United and I performed well. They didn’t let me play the final 45 minutes: I was without a signed deal, I kept finding the net, speculation was rife, it’s typical. I don’t know about Newcastle being interested, but I came across reports about Manchester United, the usual talk. It’s unclear if it was accurate, but supposing an offer came, I would have wanted to stay at Athletic. I’m fortunate to be here.”
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At the facility, the city, the morning session is set to begin; after it, the brief trip to the airport and a further journey to England, now to take on the Magpies in the UCL on midweek. Mentioning that phrase lights him up. This is proving a difficult season for Athletic, due in part to the requirements of their participation. Losing in stoppage time in the weekend clash, they have managed just one win of their recent league fixtures and lost against Arsenal and the German side in the continental stage. Yet, look at the overall situation, the big nights he has lived and those that lie ahead, and there’s a kind of quiet appreciation within him.
In the the period since he had come back to Athletic, the striker has been a Europa League semi-finalist, prevented from reaching a final at home by Manchester United, and has boarded a decades-old barge up the Nervión estuary flanked by a huge crowd after lifting the trophy, the team’s initial silverware in a long wait. Currently he stands as Athletic’s top scorer in the Champions League, where they are unique and returning after absence in a decade. “This was beyond my dreams,” he admits.
He considered it difficult enough just to earn a spot and his assessment was correct. Born to the ex-La Real star his father and a dedicated fan at the club that are now his rivals, the forward is a product of Antiguoko, the San Sebastián club that produced the Arsenal manager, the legendary midfielder and the Bournemouth manager. He signed for Athletic at his teens but after his top-level debut in that summer, he went through a serious knee problem, being released, a demotion and a return before he could truly get a chance, returning at 26 to live the best days of their lives.
“Entering the youth system doubting you’ll make the top level but every phase you advance through you’re persisting and you can see it getting closer. You get there but … you’re sent away.” He played six, nine, five, one, four and 20 minutes in half a dozen appearances between his debut and February 2019. “And then I go back down to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. A few matches at that level and I suffered the ACL injury.
“A severe disappointment but I look back on it as something positive because it forced me to alter the perspective. Healing from a serious ailment is challenging, but it helps. You cultivate routines previously lacking. Previously I was casual, but I attended practice and then return home, as a youngster does. At the complex, you have everything, so do everything. Practice, prevention. Hit the weights. With hip imbalance, work on that. Assuming ankle mobility is good, improve it more. All those ‘silly things’: execute them.
“At the top level you’re going to face physical challenges who have been in battles repeatedly. Highly robust. I look at photos of me before: my physique was slight. Injuries are inevitable. Look at pictures of me now and it’s totally different. Recovery revealed that. Sessions end, but there’s more to do. Peers are prepared, really ready; no exceptions.”
Minutes are crucial. Guruzeta departed emotionally in 2020, aged 23, moving to a lower level. With Sabadell in 2020-21, he netted three goals in forty appearances. At Amorebieta in the following period, the scoring picked up. “It’s a common path: temporary moves, ended deals. With a turnaround, effort, faith, and should the time come the requirement appears for your role, they might come back for you. Readiness is vital. When they decided to call again, an aspiration fulfilled. The trophy success, compete continentally, and qualify for Europe’s top tier … pfff.”
Understandably he remarks appreciate the experience. Especially after the previous season which, at times, was focused on persistence. Previously the main threat with 16 in 2023-24, last season he got seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
