‘All those silly things – do them’: Guruzeta’s path from gurney to goals with Athletic
Whenhe debut appearance Gorka Guruzeta featured in English soil, an teenage playing for the reserve team against German opponents at Adams Park in September 2015, he found the net. On his next visit he played in the country, against the Black Cats following that, he netted. The third time, against the Citizens six weeks after that, indeed, he did it once more. Upon his comeback to Manchester to take on Manchester United at the sports complex in that year, he did it once more. A spectacular strike, too. “Truly,” he remarks, “it ranks among my finest in my career.” Thus the club did what they had to do: they took him off.
“I got well angry,” the Athletic striker reveals, and then he starts laughing. “I’m sure there’s footage. We traveled to face United and I performed well. They kept me out of the final 45 minutes: I was without a signed deal, I kept finding the net, there were lots of rumours, as you’d expect. No confirmation on interest from Newcastle, but I recall seeing about Man United, the typical thing. I’m not certain the validity, but had they contacted me, 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 Lezama, the city, the early training is ready to commence; following that, the quick travel to Loiu and a further journey to the UK, this time to play Newcastle in the UCL on Wednesday. Uttering the name brings a smile to his face. It’s turning out to be a challenging campaign for Athletic, partly because of the requirements of being here. Defeated late on in the derby on Saturday, they have secured just a single victory of their past eight league games and fallen to the Gunners and Borussia Dortmund in Europe. Yet, look at the overall situation, the big nights he has lived and future challenges, and he feels a calm gratitude from him.
In the three years since he had returned to the club, Gorka has been a final four contender in Europe, stopped at the gates a final at home by the English giants, and has traveled on a traditional boat up the Nervión estuary flanked by a million fans after winning the Copa del Rey, the team’s initial silverware in 40 years. Currently he stands as the top goal-getter in the European competition, where they are unique and making their first appearance in a long period. “This was beyond my dreams,” he says.
Guruzeta thought it challenging enough just to make the first team and that proved true. The son of the former Real Sociedad player his father and a regular attendee at the team he now opposes, Gorka is a product of Antiguoko, the San Sebastián club that developed the coach, Xabi Alonso and the Bournemouth manager. His move to Athletic came at 17 but after his first-team bow in the 2018 season, he suffered a torn cruciate, the cut, a relegation and a recall before he could finally secure an opportunity, coming back aged 26 to enjoy the highlights of the club’s history.
“Entering the youth system not expecting to reach the senior squad but each step you go through you’re still there and you can see it getting closer. You arrive and then … departure is necessary.” He had limited game time in a handful of matches between his bow and February 2019. “And then I go back down to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. A few matches there and I suffered the ACL injury.
“It was a huge blow but I reflect on it as a turning point because it made me change the way I saw things. The rehabilitation process is challenging, but it helps. You adopt practices previously lacking. 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 take full advantage. Training, prehab. Get in the gym. If your hips aren’t balanced, address that. If your ankles are a 10, make it a 12 or a 14. All the minor details: execute them.
“Among professionals you’re going to collide with opponents who have experienced contact repeatedly. Extremely powerful. I look at photos of me before: my legs are chicken legs. Injuries are inevitable. Look at pictures of me now and it’s totally different. Recovery revealed that. Practice concludes, but further effort is needed. Everyone else is ready, really ready; the same applies.”
You also have to play. Guruzeta departed in tears in that year, in his early twenties, joining the second tier. At Sabadell in 2020-21, he scored three times in numerous matches. With Amorebieta in the following period, the he found his form. “Players go through it: temporary moves, ended deals. If you turn it round, dedication, confidence, and should the time come a vacancy arises for your role, recall is possible. Preparation is key. When they decided to call again, an aspiration fulfilled. To then win the Copa del Rey, play in Europe, and make the UCL … pfff.”
Little surprise he states this is to be enjoyed. Especially after the previous season which, on occasions, was about endurance. From top scorer with a high tally, his output dropped to seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
