‘All those little things – make sure you do them’: The striker’s journey from rehabilitation to goals with the Basque club
The initial occasion Gorka Guruzeta featured in the UK, an 18-year-old appearing for the youth squad against German opponents at Adams Park in the 2015 season, he scored. During his subsequent match he played in British turf, against Sunderland following that, he netted. Another occasion, against Manchester City six weeks after that, well, he repeated the feat. As he revisited to the northwest to play against the Red Devils at the sports complex in the 2017 season, he found the back of the net. It was a superb volley, as well. “Actually,” he states, “it’s a top-class goal in my career.” So Athletic did what they had to do: he was replaced.
“I became very upset,” the forward says, and then he starts laughing. “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: my contract wasn’t finalized deal, goals were flowing, there were lots of rumours, you know how it is. I’m unsure regarding interest from Newcastle, but I remember reading about the Red Devils, the typical thing. I’m not certain the validity, but even if they had called, my desire was to remain at the club. I’m fortunate to be here.”
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At Lezama, the city, the early training is ready to commence; after it, the quick travel to the airport and another flight to England, on this occasion to face Newcastle in the European elite competition on midweek. Mentioning that phrase brings a smile to his face. It has become a difficult season for the club, partly because of the pressures of competing at this level. Defeated late on in the derby on Saturday, they have managed just one win of their recent league fixtures and been defeated by Arsenal and the German side in European competition. But, look at the overall situation, the major occasions he’s experienced and upcoming events, and there’s a kind of quiet appreciation from him.
In the three years since he had come back to Athletic, Guruzeta has been a Europa League semi-finalist, prevented from reaching a final at home by the English giants, and has ridden an historic vessel up the Nervión estuary surrounded by countless supporters 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 unique and returning after absence in a decade. “This was beyond my dreams,” he says.
The player believed it difficult enough just to make the first team and his assessment was correct. The son of the ex-La Real star Xabi Guruzeta and a season ticket holder at the opposition side, Gorka is a product of Antiguoko, the Donostiarra team that nurtured the Arsenal manager, Xabi Alonso and the Bournemouth manager. He signed for Athletic at seventeen but after his top-level debut in August 2018, he experienced a torn cruciate, the cut, a demotion and a call back before he could earn his place, making his comeback to live the best days of the club’s history.
“You go into the academy not expecting to reach the senior squad but each step you go through you’re remaining and you can see it getting closer. You make it and … you’re sent away.” He featured briefly in six matches in half a dozen appearances between his bow and early 2019. “Subsequently I returned to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Several appearances with them and my knee gave way.
“A severe disappointment but I reflect on it as a beneficial experience because it forced me to alter the way I saw things. The rehabilitation process is challenging, but it helps. You develop habits previously lacking. It’s not that you don’t look after yourself, but I attended practice and then head home, like when you’re a kid. At the complex, all resources are available, so utilize it all. Work, precaution. Get in the gym. With hip imbalance, work on that. If your ankles are a 10, enhance it further. All those ‘silly things’: perform them.
“At the top level you’re going to crash into players who have experienced contact 200,000 times. They’re so strong. I look at photos of me before: my legs are chicken legs. So what happens, happens. Present-day images and the improvement is clear. Recovery revealed that. Training finishes, but there’s more to do. Everyone else is ready, really ready; you have to be too.”
You also have to play. The striker moved upset in the pandemic season, in his early twenties, moving to a lower level. With Sabadell in that season, he got three strikes in forty appearances. With Amorebieta in the following period, the scoring picked up. “It’s a common path: loans, terminated contracts. With a turnaround, effort, faith, and should the time come the requirement appears where you play, they might come back for you. Preparation is key. When they decided to call again, a fantasy realized. To then win the Copa del Rey, play in Europe, and reach the Champions League … pfff.”
Understandably he remarks appreciate the experience. Especially after the previous season which, sometimes, was involved suffering. After being leading scorer with sixteen goals, he managed seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
