‘Every minor detail – execute them’: Guruzeta’s path from injury table to success with Athletic Bilbao
Thehe debut appearance the Spanish forward played in English soil, an teenage representing the reserve team against Borussia Mönchengladbach Under-23s at Wycombe’s stadium in fall 2015, he hit the target. The second time he appeared in England, against the Black Cats following that, he scored. The third time, against Pep Guardiola’s team not long later, well, he repeated the feat. As he revisited to the city to play against the Red Devils at the sports complex in the 2017 season, he found the back of the net. An excellent finish, as well. “Truly,” he remarks, “it’s a top-class goal in my career.” Thus the club did their duty: they took him off.
“I became very upset,” the attacker admits, before breaking into laughter. “Probably there’s a recording. 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 agreement, goals were flowing, there were lots of rumours, you know how it is. I’m unsure regarding the Magpies’ pursuit, but I remember reading about the Red Devils, the usual talk. It’s unclear if it was accurate, but supposing an offer came, I would have wanted to stay at Bilbao. It’s a privilege.”
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At Lezama, the city, the early training is ready to commence; post-session, the quick travel to Loiu airport and another trip to Britain, this time to play Newcastle in the Champions League on midweek. Mentioning that phrase makes Guruzeta smile. It has become a difficult season for the team, due in part to the requirements of being here. Losing in stoppage time in the local rivalry, they have won only one of their recent league fixtures and lost against Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund in the continental stage. However, look at the overall situation, the big nights he has lived and future challenges, and there’s a kind of quiet appreciation from him.
In the 36 months since he had rejoined the team, Gorka has been a final four contender in Europe, prevented from reaching the showpiece event by Manchester United, and has traveled on a traditional boat up the Nervión estuary accompanied by a huge crowd after lifting the trophy, the club’s first trophy in 40 years. Now he is Athletic’s top scorer in the Champions League, where they are unique and making their first appearance in ten years. “I couldn’t have pictured this,” he states.
He considered it challenging enough just to make the first team and he was right. As the child of the one-time rival player his father and a regular attendee at the team he now opposes, the forward is from the Antiguoko academy, the local academy that developed Mikel Arteta, the legendary midfielder and the tactician. He signed for Athletic at 17 but after his first-team bow in the 2018 season, he suffered a serious knee problem, dropped, a drop in category and a return before he could earn his place, making his comeback to experience the peak of the club’s history.
“Entering the youth system doubting you’ll make the top level but every phase you progress through you’re remaining and you can see it getting closer. You get there but … departure is necessary.” He featured briefly in six matches in half a dozen appearances between his debut and early 2019. “Then I was sent to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Several appearances at that level and I suffered the ACL injury.
“It was a huge blow but I look back on it as a beneficial experience because it shifted the perspective. Recovering from a long-term injury is difficult, but it aids growth. You adopt practices new to you. It’s not that you don’t look after yourself, but I attended practice and then head home, as a youngster does. At the complex, you have everything, so utilize it all. Training, prehab. Strength training. If your hips aren’t balanced, correct it. With decent ankle function, enhance it further. All the minor details: execute them.
“Among professionals you’re going to collide with opponents who have experienced contact countless occasions. Extremely powerful. I look at photos of me before: my legs are chicken legs. Injuries are inevitable. Look at pictures of me now and the improvement is clear. Injury made me see that. Practice concludes, but further effort is needed. Teammates are set, really ready; the same applies.”
Game time is essential. He left in tears in 2020, in his early twenties, moving to a lower level. During his Sabadell spell in 2020-21, he scored three times in forty appearances. With Amorebieta in the latter part of the season, the goals started to flow. “Many experience this: transfers, releases. With a turnaround, effort, faith, and when eventually the requirement appears in your position, a return could happen. Preparation is key. Upon the recall, it was a dream come true. To then win the Copa del Rey, play in Europe, and reach the Champions League … pfff.”
Understandably he remarks appreciate the experience. All the more so after the prior campaign which, sometimes, was about endurance. After being leading scorer with 16 in 2023-24, his output dropped to seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
