‘All those little things – make sure you do them’: The striker’s path from gurney to success with Athletic

Whenhe first time Gorka Guruzeta played in the UK, an 18-year-old representing the youth squad against Bundesliga youth at Wycombe’s stadium in fall 2015, he found the net. On his next visit he appeared in British turf, against the Black Cats following that, he scored. His third outing, against the Citizens soon after, well, he repeated the feat. Upon his comeback to the northwest to take on Manchester United at Leigh’s ground in 2017, he did it once more. A spectacular strike, too. “Actually,” he says, “it’s a top-class goal I’ve netted.” Therefore the team did what was necessary: they took him off.

“I was furious,” the attacker says, before breaking into laughter. “There must be a video somewhere. We went to play United and I was in fine form. They didn’t let me play the second half: I hadn’t yet signed my contract, goals were flowing, speculation was rife, as you’d expect. No confirmation on Newcastle being interested, but I recall seeing about Manchester United, standard transfer gossip. I have no idea if it was accurate, but even if they had called, I would have wanted to stay at Bilbao. It’s a privilege.”

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At the facility, Bilbao, the day’s first practice is ready to commence; post-session, the quick travel to Loiu airport and another trip to the UK, now to face Newcastle in the UCL on Wednesday. Just saying those two words makes Guruzeta smile. It has become a difficult season for the team, partially owing to the requirements of being here. Beaten in added time in the derby on Saturday, they have secured just a single victory of their recent league fixtures and fallen to the Gunners and Borussia Dortmund in the continental stage. But, consider the broader view, the memorable evenings and those that lie ahead, and a sense of thankful reflection from him.

In the three years since he had come back to Athletic, the striker has been a semi-final participant, prevented from reaching the showpiece event by the English giants, and has boarded a decades-old barge up the Nervión estuary flanked by a million fans after lifting the trophy, the team’s initial silverware in four decades. Now he is Athletic’s top scorer in the UCL, where they are countercultural and returning after absence in ten years. “I couldn’t have pictured this,” he states.

He considered it hard enough just to earn a spot and his assessment was correct. Born to the former Real Sociedad player the former professional and a dedicated fan at the club that are now his rivals, the forward is a product of Antiguoko, the Donostiarra team that developed the Arsenal manager, the legendary midfielder and the Bournemouth manager. He joined Athletic at his teens but after his first-team bow in the 2018 season, he experienced a serious knee problem, being released, a relegation and a call back before he could truly get a chance, making his comeback to live the best days of their lives.

“Entering the youth system thinking you won’t reach the senior squad but each step you go through you’re persisting and you can notice the proximity. You make it and … you have to leave.” He featured briefly in six matches in a handful of matches between his debut and that period. “Subsequently I returned to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Five, six games there and I tear my cruciate.

“A massive setback but I look back on it as something positive because it shifted the way I saw things. The rehabilitation process is hard, but it’s beneficial. You adopt practices you didn’t have. Previously I was casual, but I did the sessions and then head home, like when you’re a kid. In the facility, facilities are comprehensive, so take full advantage. Practice, prevention. Get in the gym. Should your hips be uneven, correct it. Assuming ankle mobility is good, improve it more. All the minor details: execute them.

“At the top level you’re going to crash into players who have crashed into players 200,000 times. They’re so strong. Seeing previous pictures: my physique was slight. Thus incidents occur. Current photos and it’s totally different. The setback taught me. Practice concludes, but there’s more to do. Everyone else is ready, really ready; no exceptions.”

You also have to play. Guruzeta departed in tears in that year, at 23 years old, joining the second tier. At Sabadell in the 20-21 campaign, he got three strikes in forty appearances. At Amorebieta in the second half of 2021-22, the he found his form. “Players go through it: temporary moves, ended deals. Should you reverse it, dedication, confidence, and should the time come a vacancy arises where you play, a return could happen. Readiness is vital. When they decided to call again, it was a dream come true. To then win the Copa del Rey, compete continentally, and qualify for Europe’s top tier … pfff.”

Understandably he remarks this is to be enjoyed. All the more so after the prior campaign which, at times, was focused on persistence. From top scorer with sixteen goals, he managed seven in {15 games more|additional matches|