‘Every minor detail – execute them’: Guruzeta’s road from rehabilitation to goals with the Basque club
Whenhe initial occasion Gorka Guruzeta played in English soil, an 18-year-old appearing for the reserve team against Borussia Mönchengladbach Under-23s at Adams Park in the 2015 season, he hit the target. During his subsequent match he appeared in British turf, against the English side following that, he netted. Another occasion, against Manchester City soon after, indeed, he did it once more. Upon his comeback to the city to take on Manchester United at Leigh Sports Village in that year, he found the back of the net. A spectacular strike, also. “In fact,” he remarks, “it’s a top-class goal I’ve netted.” So Athletic did what they had to do: they took him off.
“I got well angry,” the Athletic striker admits, before breaking into laughter. “Probably there’s a recording. Our match against United and I was pretty good. They didn’t let me play the second half: my contract wasn’t finalized my contract, goals were flowing, there were lots of rumours, as you’d expect. I don’t know about Newcastle being interested, but I came across reports about Man United, the typical thing. It’s unclear how true it was, but even if they had called, my desire was to remain at Athletic. I feel lucky to be here.”
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At the training ground, Bilbao, the early training is about to start; post-session, the brief trip to Loiu airport and another trip to the UK, this time to play Newcastle in the European elite competition on the upcoming match. Just saying those two words lights him up. This is proving a tough year for Athletic, partially owing to the requirements of their participation. Defeated late on in the derby on Saturday, they have won only one of their past eight league games and been defeated by Arsenal and the German side in the continental stage. But, take in the big picture, the big nights he has lived and those that lie ahead, and a sense of thankful reflection from him.
In the the period since he had returned to the club, Gorka has been a final four contender in Europe, prevented from reaching a final at home by United, and has boarded a decades-old barge through the waterway accompanied by a million fans after securing the Spanish cup, the team’s initial silverware in a long wait. He’s now the club’s leading marksman in the European competition, where they are unique and making their first appearance in a long period. “I couldn’t have pictured this,” he says.
Guruzeta thought it difficult enough just to earn a spot and he was right. As the child of the ex-La Real star Xabi Guruzeta and a season ticket holder at the opposition side, the forward is a graduate of Antiguoko, the San Sebastián club that nurtured the coach, the former star and the Bournemouth manager. He signed for Athletic at seventeen but after making his senior debut in the 2018 season, he went through a torn cruciate, dropped, a demotion and a recall before he could earn his place, returning at 26 to experience the peak of his career.
“You go into the academy doubting you’ll make the first team but with every stage you progress through you’re persisting and you can observe the approach. You arrive and then … departure is necessary.” He had limited game time in half a dozen appearances between his bow and early 2019. “Then I was sent to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Five, six games at that level and I suffered the ACL injury.
“A severe disappointment but In retrospect as a turning point because it shifted the outlook. Recovering from a long-term injury is challenging, but it aids growth. You develop habits new to you. It’s not that you don’t look after yourself, but I did the sessions and then head home, like when you’re a kid. At Lezama, you have everything, so utilize it all. Training, prehab. Hit the weights. If your hips aren’t balanced, address that. If your ankles are a 10, improve it more. All those ‘silly things’: do them.
“At the top level you’re going to collide with opponents who have been in battles repeatedly. Highly robust. Reviewing old images: my physique was slight. Injuries are inevitable. Present-day images and the improvement is clear. The setback taught me. Sessions end, but further effort is needed. Teammates are set, really ready; no exceptions.”
Minutes are crucial. Guruzeta departed upset in that year, at 23 years old, moving to a lower level. At Sabadell in that season, he scored three times in 40 games. At Amorebieta in the following period, the goals started to flow. “Players go through it: loans, terminated contracts. With a turnaround, work, believe, and if one day a vacancy arises where you play, they might come back for you. Preparation is key. Upon the recall, it was a dream come true. Lifting the cup, compete continentally, and qualify for Europe’s top tier … pfff.”
Little surprise he states this is to be enjoyed. All the more so after the previous season which, on occasions, was focused on persistence. From top scorer with a high tally, he managed seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
