‘All those little things – make sure you do them’: Guruzeta’s path from rehabilitation to success with the Basque club
Thehe first time the Spanish forward played in England, an 18-year-old playing for Athletic Bilbao B against German opponents at Wycombe’s stadium in the 2015 season, he scored. During his subsequent match he took the field in British turf, against Sunderland two months later, he scored. The third time, against Pep Guardiola’s team six weeks after that, indeed, he scored again. As he revisited to the city to play against the Red Devils at Leigh’s ground in that year, he scored again. A spectacular strike, too. “In fact,” he remarks, “it ranks among my finest I’ve netted.” So Athletic did their duty: they substituted him.
“I became very upset,” the Athletic striker reveals, then chuckling. “Probably there’s a recording. We traveled to face United and I was pretty good. They kept me out of the latter period: my contract wasn’t finalized my contract, goals were flowing, many stories circulated, as you’d expect. No confirmation on interest from Newcastle, but I recall seeing about Man United, the typical thing. I’m not certain how true it was, but even if they had called, I would have wanted to stay at the club. It’s a privilege.”
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At the facility, the Basque Country, the morning session is ready to commence; following that, the brief trip to Loiu and another flight to Britain, now to play Newcastle in the European elite competition on midweek. Just saying those two words brings a smile to his face. It’s turning out to be a tough year for the club, due in part to the pressures of their participation. Beaten in added time in the weekend clash, they have secured just a single victory of their last eight matches and fallen to the Gunners and the German side in European competition. However, take in the big picture, the major occasions he’s experienced and upcoming events, and there’s a kind of quiet appreciation from him.
In the 36 months since he had rejoined the team, Gorka has been a final four contender in Europe, denied at the last hurdle a final at home by the English giants, and has traveled on a traditional boat through the waterway flanked by a million fans after lifting the trophy, the club’s first trophy in four decades. Currently he stands as the top goal-getter in the UCL, where they are countercultural and making their first appearance in ten years. “This was beyond my dreams,” he admits.
The player believed it challenging enough just to break into the senior squad and he was right. Born to the one-time rival player the former professional and a regular attendee at the club that are now his rivals, Gorka is a product of Antiguoko, the local academy that produced the Arsenal manager, the former star and the Bournemouth manager. He joined Athletic at seventeen but after his top-level debut in the 2018 season, he went through a torn cruciate, dropped, a drop in category and a return before he could finally secure an opportunity, making his comeback to experience the peak of their lives.
“You go into the academy thinking you won’t reach the senior squad but with every stage you progress through you’re persisting and you can see it getting closer. You make it and … you have to leave.” He played six, nine, five, one, four and 20 minutes in half a dozen appearances between his first game and that period. “Subsequently I returned to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Several appearances at that level and I tear my cruciate.
“A massive setback but I look back on it as something positive because it forced me to alter the way I saw things. Recovering from a long-term injury is difficult, but it’s beneficial. You develop habits you didn’t have. It’s not that you don’t look after yourself, but I attended practice and then head home, typical youth behavior. In the facility, all resources are available, so take full advantage. Training, prehab. Hit the weights. Should your hips be uneven, correct it. With decent ankle function, improve it more. All those ‘silly things’: perform them.
“Among professionals you’re going to collide with opponents who have experienced contact repeatedly. Highly robust. I look at photos of me before: my physique was slight. Injuries are inevitable. Present-day images and the change is dramatic. Injury made me see that. Practice concludes, but there’s more to do. Everyone else is ready, really ready; no exceptions.”
You also have to play. He left upset in 2020, at 23 years old, moving to a lower level. With Sabadell in the 20-21 campaign, he scored three times in 40 games. During his Amorebieta stint in the latter part of the season, the goals started to flow. “Many experience this: temporary moves, ended deals. Should you reverse it, dedication, confidence, and when eventually the requirement appears for your role, a return could happen. Readiness is vital. When they decided to call again, it was a dream come true. The trophy success, European football, and make the UCL … pfff.”
No wonder he says savor the moment. Particularly after the previous season which, on occasions, was about endurance. Previously the main threat with 16 in 2023-24, his output dropped to seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
