‘Every minor detail – execute them’: Guruzeta’s path from gurney to success with Athletic Bilbao
Whenhe debut appearance Gorka Guruzeta competed in English soil, an teenage appearing for the reserve team against Borussia Mönchengladbach Under-23s at Wycombe’s stadium in fall 2015, he scored. During his subsequent match he appeared in England, against the English side two months later, he converted. His third outing, against Manchester City six weeks after that, sure enough, he did it once more. As he revisited to the northwest to take on Manchester United at Leigh’s ground in the 2017 season, he found the back of the net. An excellent finish, too. “Truly,” he says, “it’s one of the best goals I’ve ever scored.” Therefore the team did what they had to do: he was replaced.
“I was furious,” the attacker says, then chuckling. “I’m sure there’s footage. We traveled to face United and I was in fine form. They didn’t let me play the latter period: I was without a signed deal, I was scoring goals, speculation was rife, you know how it is. I’m unsure regarding Newcastle being interested, but I recall seeing about Man United, the typical thing. It’s unclear the validity, but had they contacted me, I’d have chosen to stay at Bilbao. I feel lucky to be here.”
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At the training ground, the city, the early training is set to begin; following that, the quick travel to the airport and a further journey to Britain, now to face Newcastle in the Champions League on midweek. Uttering the name makes Guruzeta smile. It has become a tough year for Athletic, partially owing to the demands of competing at this level. Defeated late on in the local rivalry, they have secured just a single victory of their last eight matches and been defeated by Arsenal and Dortmund in the continental stage. But, look at the overall situation, the memorable evenings and future challenges, and a sense of thankful reflection about him.
In the three years since he had returned to the club, the striker has been a semi-final participant, denied at the last hurdle the showpiece event by Manchester United, and has ridden an historic vessel up the Nervión estuary surrounded by a huge crowd after lifting the trophy, the team’s initial silverware in four decades. He’s now the club’s leading marksman in the UCL, where they are countercultural and making their first appearance in ten years. “I never imagined this,” he admits.
He considered it hard enough just to earn a spot and his assessment was correct. The son of the ex-La Real star his father and a regular attendee at the club that are now his rivals, Gorka is from the Antiguoko academy, the local academy that developed the coach, the legendary midfielder and the Bournemouth manager. He signed for Athletic at 17 but after making his senior debut in that summer, he went through a torn cruciate, the cut, a relegation and a recall before he could finally secure an opportunity, coming back aged 26 to enjoy the highlights of his career.
“You go into the academy not expecting to reach the top level but each step you progress through you’re remaining and you can see it getting closer. You make it and … departure is necessary.” He played six, nine, five, one, four and 20 minutes in six games between his debut and early 2019. “Subsequently I returned to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Several appearances there and I tear my cruciate.
“A severe disappointment but I reflect on it as a turning point because it shifted the perspective. Recovering from a long-term injury is difficult, but it helps. You develop habits new to you. Previously I was casual, but I attended practice and then go home, like when you’re a kid. In the facility, all resources are available, so utilize it all. Practice, prevention. Get in the gym. If your hips aren’t balanced, work on that. With decent ankle function, enhance it further. All the minor details: perform them.
“At the top level you’re going to face physical challenges who have experienced contact countless occasions. Highly robust. Reviewing old images: I had slender legs. Injuries are inevitable. Look at pictures of me now and the change is dramatic. The setback taught me. Training finishes, but additional work remains. Everyone else is ready, really ready; no exceptions.”
You also have to play. He left upset in 2020, aged 23, dropping into the second division. At Sabadell in that season, he got three strikes in forty appearances. During his Amorebieta stint in the second half of 2021-22, the he found his form. “It’s a common path: loans, terminated contracts. With a turnaround, dedication, confidence, and if one day the requirement appears where you play, a return could happen. Preparation is key. When the opportunity came, a fantasy realized. To then win the Copa del Rey, compete continentally, and make the UCL … pfff.”
Little surprise he states savor the moment. Particularly after last year which, at times, was focused on persistence. After being leading scorer with sixteen goals, he managed seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
