‘All those silly things – do them’: Guruzeta’s journey from injury table to success with Athletic
Whenhe first time Gorka Guruzeta featured in the UK, an 18-year-old playing for Athletic Bilbao B against German opponents at Wycombe’s stadium in fall 2015, he hit the target. The second time he took the field in England, against Sunderland following that, he netted. His third outing, against Manchester City six weeks after that, indeed, he scored again. When he returned to the city to play against the Red Devils at Leigh’s ground in 2017, he found the back of the net. It was a superb volley, too. “In fact,” he remarks, “it ranks among my finest I’ve netted.” Thus the club did their duty: they substituted him.
“I got well angry,” the attacker reveals, then chuckling. “Probably there’s a recording. We went to play United and I was pretty good. I wasn’t allowed to feature the second half: I was without a signed deal, I kept finding the net, there were lots of rumours, you know how it is. I’m unsure regarding the Magpies’ pursuit, but I recall seeing about the Red Devils, the typical thing. I’m not certain how true it was, but had they contacted me, my desire was to remain at Athletic. 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; after it, the brief trip to Loiu airport and another trip to the UK, now to play Newcastle in the Champions League on Wednesday. Uttering the name makes Guruzeta smile. It’s turning out to be a tough year for Athletic, due in part to the requirements of being here. Defeated late on in the derby on Saturday, they have managed just one win of their recent league fixtures and fallen to the Gunners and the German side in the continental stage. Yet, take in the big picture, the big nights he has lived and those that lie ahead, and a sense of thankful reflection about him.
In the the period since he had come back to Athletic, Gorka has been a Europa League semi-finalist, stopped at the gates the showpiece event by United, and has traveled on a traditional boat along the Nervión river surrounded by a million fans after winning the Copa del Rey, the team’s initial silverware in 40 years. Currently he stands as the club’s leading marksman in the UCL, where they are distinctive and returning after absence in ten years. “I couldn’t have pictured this,” he says.
The player believed it hard enough just to earn a spot and his assessment was correct. Born to the ex-La Real star his father and a regular attendee at the club that are now his rivals, Guruzeta is from the Antiguoko academy, the San Sebastián club that produced the Arsenal manager, the former star and Andoni Iraola. His move to Athletic came at seventeen but after his top-level debut in August 2018, he suffered a serious knee problem, the cut, a relegation and a return before he could finally secure an opportunity, making his comeback to live the best days of his career.
“Entering the youth system thinking you won’t reach the senior squad but each step you go through you’re still there and you can observe the approach. You make it and … you’re sent away.” He had limited game time in a handful of matches between his debut and February 2019. “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 beneficial experience because it forced me to alter the outlook. The rehabilitation process is hard, but it’s beneficial. You adopt practices you didn’t have. It’s not about neglect, but I did the sessions and then return home, as a youngster does. At Lezama, facilities are comprehensive, so do everything. Practice, prevention. Strength training. If your hips aren’t balanced, work on that. If your ankles are a 10, improve it more. Every small aspect: execute them.
“At the top level you’re going to crash into players who have crashed into players 200,000 times. Highly robust. Reviewing old images: my legs are chicken legs. So what happens, happens. Present-day images and it’s totally different. Recovery revealed that. Sessions end, but further effort is needed. Everyone else is ready, really ready; the same applies.”
You also have to play. Guruzeta departed emotionally in 2020, at 23 years old, moving to a lower level. During his Sabadell spell in that season, he scored three times in numerous matches. At Amorebieta in the following period, the scoring picked up. “Many experience this: loans, terminated contracts. With a turnaround, dedication, confidence, and if one day they need someone in your position, a return could happen. You have to be ready. When the opportunity came, a fantasy realized. To then win the Copa del Rey, European football, and qualify for Europe’s top tier … pfff.”
Little surprise he states savor the moment. Particularly after last year which, on occasions, was about endurance. From top scorer with 16 in 2023-24, his output dropped to seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
