‘All those silly things – do them’: Guruzeta’s journey from gurney to scoring with Athletic
Thehe debut appearance Gorka Guruzeta played in English soil, an young representing the youth squad against Bundesliga youth at Wycombe’s stadium in fall 2015, he found the net. On his next visit he took the field in the country, against Sunderland following that, he netted. Another occasion, against Manchester City soon after, sure enough, he repeated the feat. When he returned to the city to face United at Leigh’s ground in the 2017 season, he scored again. A spectacular strike, also. “Truly,” he states, “it’s one of the best goals in my career.” So Athletic did their duty: they substituted him.
“I got well angry,” the forward admits, then chuckling. “There must be a video somewhere. Our match against United and I performed well. They kept me out of the latter period: I was without a signed agreement, goals were flowing, speculation was rife, it’s typical. I don’t know about interest from Newcastle, but I recall seeing about the Red Devils, standard transfer gossip. I’m not certain the validity, but had they contacted me, my desire was to remain at the club. It’s a privilege.”
La Real relieve strain with extraordinary derby triumph
At the facility, the city, the early training is ready to commence; following that, the brief trip to Loiu and another flight to England, on this occasion to play Newcastle in the UCL on Wednesday. Just saying those two words brings a smile to his face. It’s turning out to be a difficult season for the club, partially owing to the pressures of competing at this level. Losing in stoppage time in the local rivalry, they have managed just one win of their recent league fixtures and lost against Arsenal and the German side in European competition. Yet, take in the big picture, the memorable evenings and future challenges, and a sense of thankful reflection within him.
In the three years since he had returned to the club, the striker has been a Europa League semi-finalist, prevented from reaching a final at home by United, and has boarded a decades-old barge up the Nervión estuary accompanied by countless supporters after lifting the trophy, the team’s initial silverware in four decades. Currently he stands as Athletic’s top scorer in the European competition, where they are unique and returning after absence in a long period. “I never imagined this,” he states.
He considered it challenging enough just to earn a spot and that proved true. Born to the former Real Sociedad player his father and a dedicated fan at the team he now opposes, the forward is a product of Antiguoko, the San Sebastián club that nurtured the coach, Xabi Alonso and Andoni Iraola. His move to Athletic came at his teens but after his first-team bow in August 2018, he experienced a ACL injury, being released, a demotion and a return before he could earn his place, returning at 26 to live the best days of his career.
“Joining the setup not expecting to reach the top level but every phase you advance through you’re still there and you can observe the approach. You arrive and then … departure is necessary.” He featured briefly in six matches in a handful of matches between his first game and that period. “Subsequently I returned to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. A few matches with them and my knee gave way.
“It was a huge blow but I look back on it as a turning point because it shifted the way I saw things. Healing from a serious ailment is challenging, but it’s beneficial. You cultivate routines new to you. It’s not about neglect, but I attended practice and then return home, like when you’re a kid. At the complex, you have everything, so take full advantage. Training, prehab. Get in the gym. Should your hips be uneven, correct it. With decent ankle function, enhance it further. All the minor details: perform them.
“In the first team you’re going to face physical challenges who have been in battles countless occasions. Highly robust. Reviewing old images: I had slender legs. So what happens, happens. Present-day images and the change is dramatic. Recovery revealed that. Practice concludes, but there’s more to do. Peers are prepared, really ready; no exceptions.”
You also have to play. Guruzeta departed in tears in that year, aged 23, dropping into the second division. At Sabadell in 2020-21, he scored three times in 40 games. At Amorebieta in the second half of 2021-22, the he found his form. “Players go through it: transfers, releases. If you turn it round, work, believe, and should the time come they need someone for your role, recall is possible. Preparation is key. When the opportunity came, a fantasy realized. Lifting the cup, play in Europe, and reach the Champions League … pfff.”
No wonder he says this is to be enjoyed. Particularly after the previous season which, at times, was involved suffering. From top scorer with sixteen goals, last season he got seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
