‘All those silly things – do them’: Guruzeta’s path from gurney to goals with the Basque club

The first time the Spanish forward competed in England, an young representing the youth squad against Bundesliga youth at Wycombe’s stadium in September 2015, he scored. The second time he played in the country, against the Black Cats weeks after, he netted. Another occasion, against Pep Guardiola’s team soon after, indeed, he scored again. As he revisited to Manchester to play against the Red Devils at Leigh’s ground in the 2017 season, he scored again. An excellent finish, as well. “Truly,” he states, “it ranks among my finest I’ve ever scored.” Therefore the team did what they had to do: they took him off.

“I got well angry,” the attacker reveals, and then he starts laughing. “Probably there’s a recording. Our match against United and I performed well. They kept me out of the final 45 minutes: I hadn’t yet signed deal, I kept finding the net, there were lots of rumours, it’s typical. I’m unsure regarding interest from Newcastle, but I remember reading about Manchester United, the typical thing. It’s unclear the validity, but supposing an offer came, I’d have chosen to stay at Bilbao. It’s a privilege.”

La Real relieve strain with extraordinary derby triumph

At the training ground, the city, the day’s first practice is set to begin; after it, the short journey to Loiu airport and a further journey to the UK, on this occasion to play Newcastle in the Champions League on Wednesday. Mentioning that phrase makes Guruzeta smile. It has become a tough year for Athletic, partly because of the requirements of being here. Losing in stoppage time in the derby on Saturday, they have secured just a single victory of their recent league fixtures and lost against Arsenal and Dortmund in European competition. However, look at the overall situation, the memorable evenings and upcoming events, and a sense of thankful reflection within him.

In the three years since he had come back to Athletic, Guruzeta has been a semi-final participant, denied at the last hurdle the showpiece event by the English giants, and has ridden an historic vessel up the Nervión estuary surrounded by a huge crowd after winning the Copa del Rey, the first title in four decades. He’s now the club’s leading marksman in the European competition, where they are countercultural and making their first appearance in a long period. “This was beyond my dreams,” he states.

He considered it challenging enough just to earn a spot and that proved true. The son of the one-time rival player his father and a regular attendee at the team he now opposes, Gorka is a product of Antiguoko, the San Sebastián club that developed Mikel Arteta, the former star and the tactician. His move to Athletic came at his teens but after making his senior 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, making his comeback to enjoy the highlights of the club’s history.

“Joining the setup not expecting to reach the top level but with every stage you go through you’re persisting and you can see it getting closer. You get there but … you’re sent away.” He had limited game time in six games between his bow and that period. “Subsequently I returned to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Five, six games there and my knee gave way.

“A severe disappointment but I reflect on it as a beneficial experience because it made me change the perspective. Recovering from a long-term injury is challenging, but it aids growth. You cultivate routines new to you. It’s not that you don’t look after yourself, but I would go to training and then go home, as a youngster does. At the complex, all resources are available, so take full advantage. Practice, prevention. Hit the weights. Should your hips be uneven, address that. With decent ankle function, make it a 12 or a 14. All the minor details: perform them.

“In the first team you’re going to face physical challenges who have experienced contact repeatedly. Highly robust. I look at photos of me before: my legs are chicken legs. Thus incidents occur. Current photos and the improvement is clear. The setback taught me. Practice concludes, but additional work remains. Teammates are set, really ready; no exceptions.”

Game time is essential. Guruzeta departed emotionally in the pandemic season, in his early twenties, dropping into the second division. At Sabadell in the 20-21 campaign, he got three strikes in forty appearances. At Amorebieta in the second half of 2021-22, the goals started to flow. “It’s a common path: temporary moves, ended deals. If you turn it round, effort, faith, and when eventually a vacancy arises in your position, they might come back for you. Readiness is vital. Upon the recall, a fantasy realized. To then win the Copa del Rey, play in Europe, and reach the Champions League … pfff.”

Little surprise he states savor the moment. Especially after last year which, on occasions, was about endurance. Previously the main threat with 16 in 2023-24, last season he got seven in {15 games more|additional matches|