‘All those silly things – do them’: Guruzeta’s path from rehabilitation to scoring with Athletic

The first time the Athletic striker featured in the UK, an 18-year-old representing the youth squad against Bundesliga youth at Adams Park in the 2015 season, he found the net. On his next visit he appeared in the country, against Sunderland following that, he netted. The third time, against Pep Guardiola’s team soon after, well, he did it once more. When he returned to Manchester to play against the Red Devils at Leigh Sports Village in that year, he scored again. A spectacular strike, also. “Truly,” he states, “it’s a top-class goal I’ve netted.” Therefore the team did what was necessary: they substituted him.

“I was furious,” the Athletic striker reveals, then chuckling. “I’m sure there’s footage. We went to play United and I performed well. I wasn’t allowed to feature the latter period: my contract wasn’t finalized deal, goals were flowing, there were lots of rumours, as you’d expect. I don’t know about the Magpies’ pursuit, but I recall seeing 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 the club. I’m fortunate to be here.”

La Real relieve strain with extraordinary derby triumph

At Lezama, the Basque Country, the morning session is set to begin; after it, the brief trip to the airport and a further journey to the UK, this time to play Newcastle in the UCL on midweek. Mentioning that phrase makes Guruzeta smile. It has become a tough year for the team, partially owing to the demands of their participation. Losing in stoppage time in the derby on Saturday, they have secured just a single victory of their last eight matches and been defeated by Arsenal and the German side in Europe. However, consider the broader view, the major occasions he’s experienced and upcoming events, and he feels a calm gratitude within him.

In the three years since he had come back to Athletic, the striker has been a Europa League semi-finalist, stopped at the gates a domestic final by United, and has ridden an historic vessel through the waterway surrounded by countless supporters after lifting the trophy, the club’s first trophy in four decades. Currently he stands as the top goal-getter in the European competition, where they are countercultural and debuting in a decade. “I couldn’t have pictured this,” he admits.

The player believed it challenging enough just to break into the senior squad and his assessment was correct. The son of the one-time rival player his father and a dedicated fan at the club that are now his rivals, Gorka is from the Antiguoko academy, the San Sebastián club that developed the Arsenal manager, the legendary midfielder and the Bournemouth manager. He signed for Athletic at seventeen but after his first-team bow in the 2018 season, he experienced a ACL injury, dropped, a demotion and a call back before he could finally secure an opportunity, making his comeback to enjoy the highlights of their lives.

“Entering the youth system doubting you’ll make the senior squad but each step you advance through you’re remaining and you can observe the approach. You get there but … departure is necessary.” He featured briefly in six matches in a handful of matches between his bow and that period. “And then I go back down to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Five, six games at that level and my knee gave way.

“It was a huge blow but I reflect on it as something positive because it made me change the outlook. Healing from a serious ailment is challenging, but it helps. You cultivate routines previously lacking. It’s not that you don’t look after yourself, but I would go to training and then go home, typical youth behavior. In the facility, all resources are available, so take full advantage. Practice, prevention. Hit the weights. If your hips aren’t balanced, address that. If your ankles are a 10, improve it more. Every small aspect: perform them.

“In the first team you’re going to face physical challenges who have experienced contact repeatedly. They’re so strong. I look at photos of me before: I had slender legs. Thus incidents occur. Present-day images and it’s totally different. Recovery revealed that. Sessions end, but additional work remains. Everyone else is ready, really ready; you have to be too.”

Minutes are crucial. The striker moved upset 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. During his Amorebieta stint in the second half of 2021-22, the scoring picked up. “Many experience this: temporary moves, ended deals. With a turnaround, effort, faith, and if one day a vacancy arises where you play, recall is possible. You have to be ready. When they decided to call again, an aspiration fulfilled. To then win the Copa del Rey, compete continentally, and qualify for Europe’s top tier … pfff.”

Little surprise he states appreciate the experience. Especially after the previous season which, on occasions, was involved suffering. From top scorer with a high tally, last season he got seven in {15 games more|additional matches|