‘All those little things – make sure you do them’: The striker’s path from rehabilitation to goals with Athletic Bilbao
Thehe first time the Athletic striker featured in English soil, an teenage playing for the reserve team against German opponents at the English ground in fall 2015, he hit the target. On his next visit he played in British turf, against Sunderland weeks after, he converted. The third time, against the Citizens six weeks after that, sure enough, he scored again. When he returned to the northwest to play against the Red Devils at Leigh’s ground in that year, he did it once more. An excellent finish, also. “In fact,” he remarks, “it’s a top-class goal I’ve ever scored.” Therefore the team did what was necessary: they substituted him.
“I got well angry,” the forward says, and then he starts laughing. “There must be a video somewhere. We traveled to face United and I was in fine form. I wasn’t allowed to feature the final 45 minutes: I was without a signed deal, goals were flowing, speculation was rife, you know how it is. I’m unsure regarding interest from Newcastle, but I came across reports about Manchester United, standard transfer gossip. I’m not certain if it was accurate, but even if they had called, I would have wanted to stay at the club. I feel lucky to be here.”
Real Sociedad ease tension with bizarre win in unique Basque clash
At the facility, the Basque Country, the morning session is about to start; following that, the quick travel to the airport and another trip to the UK, now to face Newcastle in the Champions League on midweek. Just saying those two words lights him up. It has become a challenging campaign for the club, due in part to the pressures of competing at this level. Beaten in added time in the derby on Saturday, they have secured just a single victory of their past eight league games and lost against Arsenal and the German side in European competition. Yet, look at the overall situation, the memorable evenings and upcoming events, and he feels a calm gratitude from him.
In the the period since he had come back to Athletic, the striker has been a Europa League semi-finalist, denied at the last hurdle a final at home by Manchester United, and has traveled on a traditional boat along the Nervión river flanked by a huge crowd after securing the Spanish cup, the first title in a long wait. Currently he stands as Athletic’s top scorer in the Champions League, where they are distinctive and debuting in ten years. “I never imagined this,” he says.
Guruzeta thought it difficult enough just to earn a spot and his assessment was correct. The son of the former Real Sociedad player Xabi Guruzeta and a season ticket holder at the opposition side, Gorka is from the Antiguoko academy, the San Sebastián club that developed the coach, the legendary midfielder and the Bournemouth manager. He joined Athletic at 17 but after his top-level debut in August 2018, he went through a ACL injury, the cut, a demotion and a return before he could truly get a chance, coming back aged 26 to experience the peak of his career.
“You go into the academy thinking you won’t reach the first team but every phase you advance through you’re still there and you can observe the approach. You arrive and then … you’re sent away.” He played six, nine, five, one, four and 20 minutes in half a dozen appearances between his debut and that period. “Subsequently I returned to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. A few matches there and my knee gave way.
“A severe disappointment but In retrospect as a turning point because it made me change the outlook. Recovering from a long-term injury is challenging, but it aids growth. You adopt practices previously lacking. Previously I was casual, but I did the sessions and then head home, typical youth behavior. In the facility, all resources are available, so utilize it all. Work, precaution. Get in the gym. Should your hips be uneven, address that. If your ankles are a 10, make it a 12 or a 14. All those ‘silly things’: perform them.
“At the top level you’re going to face physical challenges who have been in battles repeatedly. Highly robust. I look at photos of me before: I had slender legs. Injuries are inevitable. Present-day images and the improvement is clear. Injury made me see that. Practice concludes, but additional work remains. Everyone else is ready, really ready; the same applies.”
Minutes are crucial. The striker moved upset in 2020, aged 23, dropping into the second division. With Sabadell in that season, he got three strikes in forty appearances. At Amorebieta in the latter part of the season, the scoring picked up. “Players go through it: loans, terminated contracts. If you turn it round, work, believe, and should the time come they need someone where you play, recall is possible. Readiness is vital. Upon the recall, an aspiration fulfilled. The trophy success, play in Europe, and qualify for Europe’s top tier … pfff.”
No wonder he says this is to be enjoyed. All the more so after last year which, at times, was about endurance. Previously the main threat with 16 in 2023-24, he managed seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
