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

Thehe initial occasion Gorka Guruzeta featured in English soil, an 18-year-old appearing for the reserve team against Borussia Mönchengladbach Under-23s at Wycombe’s stadium in the 2015 season, he hit the target. On his next visit he played in the country, against the English side following that, he converted. The third time, against Manchester City not long later, sure enough, he did it once more. When he returned to the city to play against the Red Devils at Leigh’s ground in the 2017 season, he scored again. It was a superb volley, also. “In fact,” he says, “it’s one of the best goals I’ve ever scored.” Therefore the team did their duty: he was replaced.

“I became very upset,” the Athletic striker admits, then chuckling. “There must be a video somewhere. We traveled to face United and I was in fine form. They didn’t let me play the final 45 minutes: I was without a signed agreement, goals were flowing, many stories circulated, you know how it is. I’m unsure regarding the Magpies’ pursuit, but I recall seeing about Manchester United, the usual talk. I have no idea if it was accurate, but even if they had called, my desire was to remain at Athletic. It’s a privilege.”

La Real relieve strain with extraordinary derby triumph

At the facility, the Basque Country, the morning session is about to start; after it, the quick travel to Loiu airport and a further journey to Britain, now to play Newcastle in the UCL on midweek. Just saying those two words brings a smile to his face. This is proving a challenging campaign for the team, partly because of the requirements of their participation. Defeated late on in the local rivalry, they have secured just a single victory of their past eight league games and fallen to the Gunners and Borussia Dortmund in the continental stage. Yet, look at the overall situation, the major occasions he’s experienced and those that lie ahead, and there’s a kind of quiet appreciation within him.

In the 36 months since he had rejoined the team, the striker has been a semi-final participant, denied at the last hurdle the showpiece event by Manchester United, and has traveled on a traditional boat along the Nervión river flanked by a huge crowd after securing the Spanish cup, the club’s first trophy in 40 years. Currently he stands as the club’s leading marksman in the Champions League, where they are countercultural and returning after absence in a long period. “I never imagined this,” he admits.

Guruzeta thought it hard enough just to break into the senior squad and he was right. The son of the one-time rival player the former professional and a regular attendee at the opposition side, the forward is from the Antiguoko academy, the Donostiarra team that produced Mikel Arteta, Xabi Alonso and Andoni Iraola. He joined Athletic at seventeen but after his first-team bow in August 2018, he went through a ACL injury, dropped, a relegation and a call back before he could earn his place, making his comeback to experience the peak of his career.

“You go into the academy doubting you’ll make the first team but every phase you advance through you’re persisting and you can notice the proximity. You get there but … departure is necessary.” He had limited game time in half a dozen appearances between his bow and early 2019. “And then I go back down to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Several appearances there and my knee gave way.

“A massive setback but In retrospect as something positive because it made me change the way I saw things. Recovering from a long-term injury is challenging, but it’s beneficial. You adopt practices you didn’t have. It’s not that you don’t look after yourself, but I would go to training and then go home, like when you’re a kid. At Lezama, all resources are available, so take full advantage. Training, prehab. Strength training. Should your hips be uneven, correct it. With decent ankle function, improve it more. Every small aspect: do them.

“At the top level you’re going to face physical challenges who have been in battles countless occasions. Highly robust. Reviewing old images: my physique was slight. Thus incidents occur. Present-day images and the change is dramatic. Injury made me see that. Sessions end, but additional work remains. Everyone else is ready, really ready; you have to be too.”

Minutes are crucial. The striker moved emotionally in that year, in his early twenties, moving to a lower level. During his Sabadell spell in the 20-21 campaign, he got three strikes in 40 games. During his Amorebieta stint in the second half of 2021-22, the scoring picked up. “Many experience this: loans, terminated contracts. If you turn it round, work, believe, and when eventually they need someone for your role, they might come back for you. You have to be ready. Upon the recall, it was a dream come true. Lifting the cup, play in Europe, and qualify for Europe’s top tier … pfff.”

Understandably he remarks appreciate the experience. All the more so after the previous season which, on occasions, was involved suffering. After being leading scorer with sixteen goals, he managed seven in {15 games more|additional matches|