‘All those silly things – do them’: Guruzeta’s road from gurney to success with the Basque club
Thehe first time the Athletic striker played in English soil, an teenage appearing for Athletic Bilbao B against German opponents at Wycombe’s stadium in fall 2015, he scored. During his subsequent match he took the field in British turf, against Sunderland weeks after, he converted. His third outing, against Manchester City six weeks after that, sure enough, he scored again. Upon his comeback to the northwest to play against the Red Devils at Leigh’s ground in the 2017 season, he did it once more. It was a superb volley, as well. “In fact,” he remarks, “it’s one of the best goals I’ve netted.” Thus the club did their duty: they took him off.
“I got well angry,” the forward admits, and then he starts laughing. “I’m sure there’s footage. We traveled to face United and I performed well. They kept me out of the second half: I was without a signed agreement, I was scoring goals, many stories circulated, as you’d expect. I don’t know about interest from Newcastle, but I recall seeing about the Red Devils, the usual talk. I have no idea if it was accurate, but supposing an offer came, my desire was to remain at the club. I’m fortunate to be here.”
La Real relieve strain with extraordinary derby triumph
At the training ground, the city, the morning session is ready to commence; after it, the short journey to Loiu airport and another trip to the UK, this time to take on the Magpies in the Champions League on the upcoming match. Uttering the name makes Guruzeta smile. It’s turning out to be a difficult season for the team, partly because of the demands of being here. Defeated late on in the derby on Saturday, they have won only one of their recent league fixtures and been defeated by Arsenal and Dortmund in the continental stage. However, take in the big picture, the major occasions he’s experienced and those that lie ahead, and a sense of thankful reflection within him.
In the 36 months since he had returned to the club, Gorka has been a final four contender in Europe, prevented from reaching a final at home by United, and has boarded a decades-old barge up the Nervión estuary surrounded by countless supporters after lifting the trophy, the team’s initial silverware in four decades. Currently he stands as the club’s leading marksman in the European competition, where they are countercultural and making their first appearance in a decade. “I couldn’t have pictured this,” he says.
The player believed it difficult enough just to make the first team and that proved true. Born to the former Real Sociedad player his father and a regular attendee at the opposition side, Guruzeta is a product of Antiguoko, the San Sebastián club that developed the coach, the legendary midfielder and Andoni Iraola. He signed for Athletic at seventeen but after his first-team bow in that summer, he suffered a torn cruciate, the cut, a relegation and a return before he could finally secure an opportunity, returning at 26 to live the best days of their lives.
“You go into the academy thinking you won’t reach the top level but every phase you go through you’re still there and you can notice the proximity. You get there but … you have to leave.” He featured briefly in six matches in half a dozen appearances between his debut and early 2019. “Subsequently I returned to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Five, six games there and my knee gave way.
“A massive setback but I reflect on it as a beneficial experience because it shifted the perspective. Recovering from a long-term injury is hard, but it helps. You adopt practices previously lacking. Previously I was casual, but I did the sessions and then return home, as a youngster does. At Lezama, facilities are comprehensive, so utilize it all. Work, precaution. Hit the weights. Should your hips be uneven, work on that. If your ankles are a 10, make it a 12 or a 14. All those ‘silly things’: execute them.
“Among professionals you’re going to face physical challenges who have experienced contact repeatedly. Extremely powerful. I look at photos of me before: my physique was slight. Thus incidents occur. Look at pictures of me now and the improvement is clear. Recovery revealed that. Training finishes, but there’s more to do. Everyone else is ready, really ready; the same applies.”
Game time is essential. Guruzeta departed in tears in the pandemic season, at 23 years old, dropping into the second division. During his Sabadell spell in 2020-21, he got three strikes in 40 games. At Amorebieta in the second half of 2021-22, the scoring picked up. “Many experience this: transfers, releases. With a turnaround, work, believe, and when eventually a vacancy arises in your position, recall is possible. You have to be ready. When the opportunity came, it was a dream come true. The trophy success, compete continentally, and reach the Champions League … pfff.”
No wonder he says savor the moment. Especially after the prior campaign which, on occasions, was involved suffering. After being leading scorer with a high tally, he managed seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
