‘All those silly things – do them’: The striker’s road from injury table to success with the Basque club
The initial occasion the Athletic striker played in English soil, an teenage playing for Athletic Bilbao B against Bundesliga youth at the English ground in fall 2015, he hit the target. During his subsequent match he appeared in British turf, against the English side following that, he netted. The third time, against the Citizens soon after, well, he did it once more. Upon his comeback to the northwest to face United at Leigh Sports Village in the 2017 season, he found the back of the net. An excellent finish, also. “Actually,” he remarks, “it’s one of the best goals in my career.” So Athletic did what was necessary: they took him off.
“I was furious,” the attacker admits, before breaking into laughter. “There must be a video somewhere. Our match against United and I was pretty good. They kept me out of the second half: I hadn’t yet signed my contract, I was scoring goals, many stories circulated, it’s typical. No confirmation on the Magpies’ pursuit, but I recall seeing about Manchester United, the usual talk. It’s unclear the validity, but even if they had called, I’d have chosen to stay at Bilbao. It’s a privilege.”
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At Lezama, Bilbao, the day’s first practice is set to begin; following that, the quick travel to Loiu airport and a further journey to Britain, on this occasion to play Newcastle in the UCL on Wednesday. Just saying those two words brings a smile to his face. This is proving a tough year for the team, partially owing to the demands of competing at this level. Defeated late on in the weekend clash, they have won only one of their recent league fixtures and fallen to the Gunners and Borussia Dortmund in European competition. But, take in the big picture, the major occasions he’s experienced and those that lie ahead, and a sense of thankful reflection from him.
In the the period since he had come back to Athletic, Guruzeta has been a Europa League semi-finalist, denied at the last hurdle the showpiece event by Manchester United, and has boarded a decades-old barge up the Nervión estuary surrounded by a million fans after winning the Copa del Rey, the team’s initial silverware in four decades. Currently he stands as Athletic’s top scorer in the Champions League, where they are distinctive and returning after absence in a decade. “I never imagined this,” he states.
Guruzeta thought it challenging enough just to break into the senior squad and he was right. The son of the ex-La Real star his father and a season ticket holder at the opposition side, Gorka is a product of Antiguoko, the local academy that nurtured Mikel Arteta, the legendary midfielder and Andoni Iraola. He joined Athletic at 17 but after his top-level debut in August 2018, he suffered a serious knee problem, dropped, a relegation and a return before he could earn his place, making his comeback to enjoy the highlights of their lives.
“You go into the academy not expecting to reach the first team but every phase you progress through you’re still there and you can observe the approach. You arrive and then … you have to leave.” He had limited game time in six games between his debut and February 2019. “Subsequently I returned to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Several appearances at that level and I suffered the ACL injury.
“It was a huge blow but I reflect on it as a beneficial experience because it made me change the perspective. Healing from a serious ailment is challenging, but it helps. You adopt practices you didn’t have. Previously I was casual, but I attended practice and then return home, typical youth behavior. At Lezama, all resources are available, so utilize it all. Training, prehab. Get in the gym. If your hips aren’t balanced, address that. Assuming ankle mobility is good, enhance it further. Every small aspect: execute them.
“At the top level you’re going to collide with opponents who have been in battles 200,000 times. Extremely powerful. Seeing previous pictures: my legs are chicken legs. Thus incidents occur. Look at pictures of me now and the change is dramatic. Recovery revealed that. Training finishes, but further effort is needed. Teammates are set, really ready; you have to be too.”
Game time is essential. The striker moved in tears in 2020, aged 23, moving to a lower level. During his Sabadell spell in 2020-21, he got three strikes in forty appearances. At Amorebieta in the latter part of the season, the he found his form. “Players go through it: loans, terminated contracts. With a turnaround, dedication, confidence, and if one day a vacancy arises in your position, they might come back for you. Preparation is key. Upon the recall, an aspiration fulfilled. To then win the Copa del Rey, play in Europe, and qualify for Europe’s top tier … pfff.”
Understandably he remarks savor the moment. Especially after the prior campaign which, sometimes, was focused on persistence. From top scorer with sixteen goals, his output dropped to seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
