‘All those little things – make sure you do them’: Guruzeta’s path from injury table to goals with the Basque club
Whenhe debut appearance Gorka Guruzeta played in the UK, an young appearing for Athletic Bilbao B against Bundesliga youth at Wycombe’s stadium in September 2015, he scored. The second time he appeared in the country, against the Black Cats following that, he converted. Another occasion, against Manchester City not long later, well, he repeated the feat. Upon his comeback to Manchester to face United at the sports complex in 2017, he found the back of the net. An excellent finish, as well. “Truly,” he remarks, “it ranks among my finest I’ve netted.” Therefore the team did their duty: he was replaced.
“I got well angry,” the forward admits, and then he starts laughing. “There must be a video somewhere. Our match against United and I performed well. I wasn’t allowed to feature the second half: my contract wasn’t finalized my contract, goals were flowing, many stories circulated, you know how it is. No confirmation on Newcastle being interested, but I remember reading about the Red Devils, standard transfer gossip. I have no idea how true it was, but had they contacted me, my desire was to remain at Athletic. It’s a privilege.”
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At the training ground, the city, the morning session is set to begin; after it, the quick travel to the airport and a further journey to England, on this occasion to play Newcastle in the European elite competition on midweek. Just saying those two words lights him up. It has become a tough year for the club, partially owing to the demands of competing at this level. Losing in stoppage time in the local rivalry, they have won only one of their past eight league games and lost against Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund in Europe. However, look at the overall situation, the big nights he has lived and those that lie ahead, and he feels a calm gratitude from him.
In the three years since he had come back to Athletic, Guruzeta has been a final four contender in Europe, denied at the last hurdle the showpiece event by Manchester United, and has boarded a decades-old barge along the Nervión river surrounded by countless supporters after securing the Spanish cup, the club’s first trophy in 40 years. Currently he stands as the club’s leading marksman in the UCL, where they are countercultural and returning after absence in ten years. “I never imagined this,” he says.
He considered it hard enough just to make the first team and that proved true. Born to the one-time rival player his father and a dedicated fan at the club that are now his rivals, Guruzeta is a graduate of Antiguoko, the Donostiarra team that produced Mikel Arteta, the former star and Andoni Iraola. He signed for Athletic at 17 but after his first-team bow in the 2018 season, he experienced a torn cruciate, the cut, a drop in category and a call back before he could finally secure an opportunity, coming back aged 26 to enjoy the highlights of the club’s history.
“Joining the setup thinking you won’t reach the first team but with every stage you go through you’re persisting and you can notice the proximity. You get there but … you’re sent away.” He featured briefly in six matches in half a dozen appearances between his first game and February 2019. “And then I go back down to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Five, six games there and I tear my cruciate.
“A massive setback but In retrospect as a turning point because it shifted the way I saw things. The rehabilitation process is difficult, but it aids growth. You develop habits previously lacking. It’s not about neglect, but I attended practice and then return home, as a youngster does. At Lezama, you have everything, so utilize it all. Work, precaution. Strength training. With hip imbalance, correct it. Assuming ankle mobility is good, enhance it further. All those ‘silly things’: perform them.
“Among professionals you’re going to face physical challenges who have been in battles repeatedly. They’re so strong. Seeing previous pictures: my physique was slight. So what happens, happens. Look at pictures of me now and the change is dramatic. Injury made me see that. Sessions end, but further effort is needed. Peers are prepared, really ready; the same applies.”
Minutes are crucial. He left upset in the pandemic season, aged 23, dropping into the second division. With Sabadell 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. “Players go through it: loans, terminated contracts. With a turnaround, dedication, confidence, and when eventually they need someone where you play, a return could happen. Readiness is vital. When they decided to call again, an aspiration fulfilled. Lifting the cup, European football, and reach the Champions League … pfff.”
No wonder he says this is to be enjoyed. Especially after the prior campaign which, sometimes, was about endurance. From top scorer with 16 in 2023-24, last season he got seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
