‘All those silly things – do them’: Guruzeta’s path from gurney to scoring with Athletic Bilbao
The debut appearance Gorka Guruzeta played in English soil, an teenage representing the reserve team against German opponents at Adams Park in fall 2015, he scored. During his subsequent match he appeared in England, against Sunderland weeks after, he netted. His third outing, against the Citizens not long later, sure enough, he scored again. As he revisited to the northwest to face United at Leigh’s ground in 2017, he did it once more. A spectacular strike, as well. “Actually,” he says, “it’s a top-class goal in my career.” Therefore the team did what was necessary: he was replaced.
“I became very upset,” the attacker admits, then chuckling. “There must be a video somewhere. Our match against United and I was pretty good. They kept me out of the latter period: I hadn’t yet signed deal, I kept finding the net, many stories circulated, you know how it is. I’m unsure regarding Newcastle being interested, but I remember reading about Manchester United, the typical thing. It’s unclear how true it was, but even if they had called, I’d have chosen to stay at Bilbao. It’s a privilege.”
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At the facility, the Basque Country, the morning session is set to begin; after it, the short journey to Loiu and another flight to the UK, this time to play Newcastle in the European elite competition on Wednesday. Uttering the name brings a smile to his face. It has become a difficult season for Athletic, due in part to the demands of being here. Losing in stoppage time in the local rivalry, they have won only one of their past eight league games and fallen to the Gunners and the German side in the continental stage. Yet, take in the big picture, the big nights he has lived and those that lie ahead, and there’s a kind of quiet appreciation from him.
In the 36 months since he had rejoined the team, the striker has been a final four contender in Europe, prevented from reaching a domestic final by United, and has boarded a decades-old barge up the Nervión estuary flanked by countless supporters after securing the Spanish cup, the club’s first trophy in a long wait. He’s now the club’s leading marksman in the European competition, where they are distinctive and returning after absence in a long period. “I couldn’t have pictured this,” he says.
He considered it challenging enough just to earn a spot and that proved true. Born to the ex-La Real star his father and a dedicated fan at the opposition side, the forward is from the Antiguoko academy, the Donostiarra team that produced Mikel Arteta, the former star and the tactician. He joined Athletic at his teens but after his top-level debut in August 2018, he experienced a ACL injury, being released, a relegation and a recall before he could finally secure an opportunity, returning at 26 to experience the peak of the club’s history.
“Joining the setup doubting you’ll make the first team but with every stage you progress through you’re persisting and you can notice the proximity. You make it and … departure is necessary.” He had limited game time in six games between his debut and that period. “Then I was sent to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Five, six games with them and my knee gave way.
“A massive setback but In retrospect as something positive because it forced me to alter the outlook. Healing from a serious ailment is challenging, but it’s beneficial. You develop habits previously lacking. It’s not that you don’t look after yourself, but I attended practice and then return home, like when you’re a kid. In the facility, you have everything, so utilize it all. Practice, prevention. Get in the gym. If your hips aren’t balanced, address that. Assuming ankle mobility is good, enhance it further. All the minor details: execute them.
“In the first team you’re going to collide with opponents who have been in battles 200,000 times. Highly robust. Seeing previous pictures: my physique was slight. Injuries are inevitable. Current photos and the change is dramatic. The setback taught me. Training finishes, but additional work remains. Peers are prepared, really ready; you have to be too.”
Minutes are crucial. Guruzeta departed upset in that year, aged 23, dropping into the second division. With Sabadell in that season, he scored three times in numerous matches. With Amorebieta in the latter part of the season, the scoring picked up. “Players go through it: transfers, releases. With a turnaround, dedication, confidence, and if one day a vacancy arises in your position, recall is possible. Preparation is key. When they decided to call again, an aspiration fulfilled. Lifting the cup, European football, and qualify for Europe’s top tier … pfff.”
Understandably he remarks this is to be enjoyed. Particularly after the prior campaign which, sometimes, was involved suffering. Previously the main threat with 16 in 2023-24, he managed seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
