‘All those little things – make sure you do them’: The striker’s journey from gurney to success with Athletic
The debut appearance Gorka Guruzeta competed in England, an 18-year-old playing for the youth squad against Borussia Mönchengladbach Under-23s at the English ground in the 2015 season, he found the net. The second time he appeared in the country, against the English side following that, he netted. His third outing, against Manchester City soon after, indeed, he scored again. As he revisited to Manchester to face United at the sports complex in 2017, he found the back of the net. It was a superb volley, also. “Truly,” he remarks, “it’s a top-class goal I’ve ever scored.” Therefore the team did their duty: they took him off.
“I became very upset,” the attacker says, and then he starts laughing. “There must be a video somewhere. We went to play United and I was pretty good. They didn’t let me play the final 45 minutes: my contract wasn’t finalized my contract, I was scoring goals, there were lots of rumours, you know how it is. No confirmation on the Magpies’ pursuit, but I came across reports about the Red Devils, standard transfer gossip. I’m not certain the validity, but even if they had called, my desire was to remain at Bilbao. I feel lucky to be here.”
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At Lezama, the Basque Country, the early training is set to begin; post-session, the brief trip to Loiu airport and another trip to the UK, on this occasion to play Newcastle in the UCL on midweek. Mentioning that phrase lights him up. This is proving a challenging campaign for the team, partially owing to the pressures of being here. Losing in stoppage time in the local rivalry, they have won only one of their past eight league games and lost against Arsenal and Dortmund in Europe. But, consider the broader view, the big nights he has lived and upcoming events, and there’s a kind of quiet appreciation about him.
In the 36 months since he had come back to Athletic, Guruzeta has been a final four contender in Europe, prevented from reaching a final at home by the English giants, and has traveled on a traditional boat along the Nervión river accompanied by a huge crowd after winning the Copa del Rey, the team’s initial silverware in 40 years. Currently he stands as the club’s leading marksman in the Champions League, where they are distinctive and making their first appearance in a decade. “I never imagined this,” he says.
Guruzeta thought it challenging enough just to earn a spot and that proved true. As the child of the former Real Sociedad player his father and a regular attendee at the club that are now his rivals, Gorka is a product of Antiguoko, the San Sebastián club that produced Mikel Arteta, the former star and the tactician. He joined Athletic at 17 but after making his senior debut in that summer, he went through a serious knee problem, the cut, a relegation and a recall before he could earn his place, making his comeback to experience the peak of the club’s history.
“Entering the youth system not expecting to reach the first team but every phase you go through you’re remaining and you can see it getting closer. You arrive and then … departure is necessary.” He played six, nine, five, one, four and 20 minutes in half a dozen appearances between his first game and that period. “Subsequently I returned to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. A few matches with them and I tear my cruciate.
“It was a huge blow but In retrospect as a beneficial experience because it shifted the perspective. Healing from a serious ailment is hard, but it helps. You adopt practices previously lacking. It’s not about neglect, but I would go to training and then go home, like when you’re a kid. In the facility, all resources are available, so do everything. Work, precaution. Strength training. With hip imbalance, correct it. If your ankles are a 10, improve it more. Every small aspect: execute them.
“In the first team you’re going to crash into players who have been in battles repeatedly. Highly robust. Seeing previous pictures: I had slender legs. Injuries are inevitable. Current photos and it’s totally different. The setback taught me. Training finishes, but additional work remains. Teammates are set, really ready; you have to be too.”
Minutes are crucial. The striker moved upset in 2020, aged 23, moving to a lower level. With Sabadell in that season, he netted three goals in numerous matches. At Amorebieta in the second half of 2021-22, the he found his form. “Players go through it: loans, terminated contracts. Should you reverse it, effort, faith, and if one day they need someone for your role, recall is possible. Preparation is key. When the opportunity came, a fantasy realized. Lifting the cup, compete continentally, and reach the Champions League … pfff.”
Understandably he remarks this is to be enjoyed. All the more so after the prior campaign which, at times, was involved suffering. Previously the main threat with a high tally, last season he got seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
