‘All those silly things – do them’: Guruzeta’s road from rehabilitation to scoring with Athletic
Whenhe first time the Spanish forward played in England, an teenage representing the reserve team against Borussia Mönchengladbach Under-23s at Wycombe’s stadium in the 2015 season, he scored. The second time he appeared in the country, against the English side following that, he converted. The third time, against Manchester City not long later, well, he repeated the feat. When he returned to the northwest to face United at Leigh’s ground in the 2017 season, he did it once more. An excellent finish, too. “Actually,” he remarks, “it’s one of the best goals I’ve netted.” So Athletic did their duty: they substituted him.
“I got well angry,” the Athletic striker admits, before breaking into laughter. “There must be a video somewhere. We went to play United and I performed well. They kept me out of the final 45 minutes: my contract wasn’t finalized deal, I was scoring goals, many stories circulated, it’s typical. I don’t know about the Magpies’ pursuit, but I remember reading about the Red Devils, the typical thing. I’m not certain if it was accurate, but supposing an offer came, I would have wanted to stay at Athletic. I feel lucky to be here.”
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At the training ground, the Basque Country, the early training is about to start; post-session, the quick travel to Loiu airport and another flight to Britain, on this occasion to face Newcastle in the Champions League on Wednesday. Uttering the name makes Guruzeta smile. It’s turning out to be a difficult season for the club, due in part to the demands of their participation. Beaten in added time in the derby on Saturday, they have managed just one win of their recent league fixtures and lost against Arsenal and Dortmund in the continental stage. Yet, take in the big picture, the memorable evenings and future challenges, and there’s a kind of quiet appreciation within him.
In the three years since he had come back to Athletic, the striker has been a Europa League semi-finalist, denied at the last hurdle a final at home by the English giants, and has traveled on a traditional boat up the Nervión estuary surrounded by countless supporters after securing the Spanish cup, the first title in a long wait. Now he is the club’s leading marksman in the Champions League, where they are unique and making their first appearance in a decade. “This was beyond my dreams,” he says.
Guruzeta thought it challenging enough just to earn a spot and his assessment was correct. As the child of the ex-La Real star his father and a season ticket holder at the opposition side, Gorka is a graduate of Antiguoko, the local academy that nurtured the Arsenal manager, Xabi Alonso and Andoni Iraola. He joined Athletic at seventeen but after his first-team bow in the 2018 season, he experienced a serious knee problem, dropped, a drop in category and a call back before he could finally secure an opportunity, coming back aged 26 to enjoy the highlights of his career.
“Entering the youth system doubting you’ll make the top level but every phase you go through you’re persisting and you can notice the proximity. You arrive and then … departure is necessary.” He played six, nine, five, one, four and 20 minutes in six games between his bow and that period. “And then I go back down to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Five, six games with them and my knee gave way.
“It was a huge blow but I look back on it as something positive because it made me change the perspective. Recovering from a long-term injury is challenging, but it helps. You develop habits previously lacking. It’s not that you don’t look after yourself, but I would go to training and then head home, typical youth behavior. At the complex, you have everything, so do everything. Training, prehab. Get in the gym. Should your hips be uneven, work on that. With decent ankle function, enhance it further. Every small aspect: perform them.
“Among professionals you’re going to crash into players who have been in battles countless occasions. They’re so strong. 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. Sessions end, but additional work remains. Teammates are set, really ready; you have to be too.”
Game time is essential. The striker moved in tears in the pandemic season, aged 23, moving to a lower level. At Sabadell in the 20-21 campaign, he got three strikes in 40 games. During his Amorebieta stint in the latter part of the season, the goals started to flow. “It’s a common path: transfers, releases. Should you reverse it, dedication, confidence, and should the time come they need someone in your position, recall is possible. Readiness is vital. When the opportunity came, it was a dream come true. The trophy success, play in Europe, and reach the Champions League … pfff.”
Understandably he remarks appreciate the experience. Particularly after the previous season which, on occasions, was focused on persistence. Previously the main threat with 16 in 2023-24, last season he got seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
