‘All those little things – make sure you do them’: The striker’s journey from injury table to success with Athletic Bilbao

The debut appearance Gorka Guruzeta played in England, an young representing the youth squad against Bundesliga youth at the English ground in fall 2015, he found the net. During his subsequent match he played in British turf, against Sunderland following that, he netted. The third time, against Manchester City six weeks after that, sure enough, he did it once more. As he revisited to Manchester to face United at the sports complex in that year, he did it once more. An excellent finish, also. “Truly,” he remarks, “it’s one of the best goals I’ve netted.” Therefore the team did what they had to do: he was replaced.

“I became very upset,” the Athletic striker says, before breaking into laughter. “Probably there’s a recording. Our match against United and I performed well. They didn’t let me play the latter period: I was without a signed agreement, I was scoring goals, speculation was rife, it’s typical. No confirmation on Newcastle being interested, but I remember reading about Man United, the usual talk. It’s unclear the validity, but even if they had called, my desire was to remain at Athletic. I’m fortunate to be here.”

Real Sociedad release pressure with surreal victory in Basque derby like no other

At the training ground, Bilbao, the early training is ready to commence; after it, the brief trip to Loiu and another trip to England, now to face Newcastle in the Champions League on Wednesday. Uttering the name makes Guruzeta smile. This is proving a tough year for the team, due in part to the demands of competing at this level. Losing in stoppage time in the derby on Saturday, they have won only one of their past eight league games and fallen to the Gunners and Borussia Dortmund in European competition. However, look at the overall situation, the memorable evenings and future challenges, and there’s a kind of quiet appreciation within 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 United, and has traveled on a traditional boat through the waterway flanked by countless supporters after winning the Copa del Rey, the first title in a long wait. He’s now the top goal-getter in the Champions League, where they are unique and returning after absence in ten years. “This was beyond my dreams,” he admits.

Guruzeta thought it challenging enough just to make the first team and his assessment was correct. Born to the ex-La Real star Xabi Guruzeta and a regular attendee at the team he now opposes, Gorka is from the Antiguoko academy, the Donostiarra team that developed the Arsenal manager, the legendary midfielder and the Bournemouth manager. He joined Athletic at seventeen but after his first-team bow in August 2018, he went through a torn cruciate, dropped, a demotion and a recall before he could truly get a chance, returning at 26 to live the best days of his career.

“You go into the academy thinking you won’t reach the senior squad but each step you go through you’re persisting and you can see it getting closer. You get there but … departure is necessary.” He had limited game time in a handful of matches between his bow and February 2019. “Subsequently I returned to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. A few matches with them and I tear my cruciate.

“It was a huge blow but I look back on it as a beneficial experience because it shifted the perspective. Recovering from a long-term injury is hard, but it helps. You develop habits you didn’t have. 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 the complex, all resources are available, so do everything. Practice, prevention. Strength training. If your hips aren’t balanced, address that. If your ankles are a 10, enhance it further. Every small aspect: do them.

“In the first team you’re going to crash into players who have experienced contact countless occasions. They’re so strong. I look at photos of me before: my legs are chicken legs. Injuries are inevitable. Current photos and the change is dramatic. Injury made me see that. Training finishes, but additional work remains. Teammates are set, really ready; the same applies.”

Game time is essential. Guruzeta departed emotionally in that year, aged 23, dropping into the second division. During his Sabadell spell in 2020-21, he scored three times in forty appearances. With Amorebieta in the latter part of the season, the scoring picked up. “It’s a common path: temporary moves, ended deals. Should you reverse it, work, believe, and should the time come a vacancy arises where you play, a return could happen. You have to be ready. Upon the recall, an aspiration fulfilled. The trophy success, European football, and qualify for Europe’s top tier … pfff.”

Understandably he remarks savor the moment. Especially after last year which, sometimes, was focused on persistence. From top scorer with a high tally, he managed seven in {15 games more|additional matches|