‘Every minor detail – execute them’: Guruzeta’s road from rehabilitation to goals with the Basque club
The initial occasion the Spanish forward competed in the UK, an young representing Athletic Bilbao B against Borussia Mönchengladbach Under-23s at Wycombe’s stadium in September 2015, he scored. During his subsequent match he played in British turf, against the English side weeks after, he converted. Another occasion, against Manchester City soon after, sure enough, he repeated the feat. As he revisited to the city to take on Manchester United at Leigh Sports Village in the 2017 season, he did it once more. It was a superb volley, too. “In fact,” he states, “it’s one of the best goals in my career.” Thus the club did what they had to do: they took him off.
“I got well angry,” the forward says, before breaking into laughter. “There must be a video somewhere. Our match against United and I performed well. They kept me out of the final 45 minutes: my contract wasn’t finalized my contract, goals were flowing, there were lots of rumours, as you’d expect. I’m unsure regarding the Magpies’ pursuit, but I came across reports about Man United, the usual talk. I have no idea the validity, but even if they had called, I would have wanted to stay at Bilbao. I’m fortunate to be here.”
La Real relieve strain with extraordinary derby triumph
At the training ground, Bilbao, the morning session is ready to commence; post-session, the quick travel to Loiu and another trip to the UK, this time to face Newcastle in the Champions League on the upcoming match. Just saying those two words brings a smile to his face. It has become a challenging campaign for the team, partially owing to the requirements of competing at this level. Defeated late on in the weekend clash, they have managed just one win of their last eight matches and been defeated by Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund in European competition. However, consider the broader view, the big nights he has lived and those that lie ahead, and there’s a kind of quiet appreciation within him.
In the 36 months since he had returned to the club, Guruzeta has been a Europa League semi-finalist, denied at the last hurdle the showpiece event by the English giants, and has traveled on a traditional boat through the waterway surrounded by a million fans after lifting the trophy, the club’s first trophy in four decades. He’s now Athletic’s top scorer in the UCL, where they are countercultural and debuting in a decade. “I never imagined this,” he admits.
Guruzeta thought it challenging enough just to earn a spot and that proved true. The son of the former Real Sociedad player his father and a season ticket holder at the opposition side, the forward is a product of Antiguoko, the Donostiarra team that nurtured the coach, the legendary midfielder and Andoni Iraola. He signed for Athletic at 17 but after his top-level debut in the 2018 season, he experienced a torn cruciate, the cut, a drop in category and a recall before he could earn his place, making his comeback 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 still there and you can observe the approach. You arrive and then … you’re sent away.” He featured briefly in six matches in a handful of matches between his first game and February 2019. “Then I was sent to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Five, six games at that level and my knee gave way.
“It was a huge blow but I look back on it as something positive because it made me change the outlook. Recovering from a long-term injury is challenging, but it aids growth. You develop habits new to you. Previously I was casual, but I did the sessions and then return home, typical youth behavior. In the facility, you have everything, so take full advantage. Training, prehab. Strength training. Should your hips be uneven, work on that. With decent ankle function, improve it more. All those ‘silly things’: perform them.
“Among professionals you’re going to crash into players who have experienced contact repeatedly. Highly robust. I look at photos of me before: I had slender legs. Thus incidents occur. Present-day images and the improvement is clear. Injury made me see that. Sessions end, but additional work remains. Peers are prepared, really ready; no exceptions.”
You also have to play. The striker moved upset in 2020, in his early twenties, dropping into the second division. With Sabadell in 2020-21, he scored three times in forty appearances. During his Amorebieta stint in the latter part of the season, the goals started to flow. “Many experience this: transfers, releases. Should you reverse it, dedication, confidence, and when eventually they need someone where you play, a return could happen. Readiness is vital. Upon the recall, a fantasy realized. The trophy success, European football, and qualify for Europe’s top tier … pfff.”
No wonder he says this is to be enjoyed. All the more so after the previous season which, on occasions, was involved suffering. Previously the main threat with 16 in 2023-24, his output dropped to seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
