‘Every minor detail – execute them’: The striker’s road from gurney to scoring with the Basque club
Whenhe first time Gorka Guruzeta played in the UK, an teenage playing for the reserve team against Bundesliga youth at Wycombe’s stadium in September 2015, he scored. On his next visit he appeared in England, against the English side weeks after, he scored. Another occasion, against the Citizens soon after, indeed, he repeated the feat. When he returned to the city to play against the Red Devils at Leigh Sports Village in the 2017 season, he scored again. It was a superb volley, also. “Actually,” he says, “it ranks among my finest I’ve ever scored.” Thus the club did what was necessary: he was replaced.
“I got well angry,” the Athletic striker says, and then he starts laughing. “There must be a video somewhere. We traveled to face United and I was pretty good. They kept me out of the latter period: I was without a signed agreement, I was scoring goals, many stories circulated, as you’d expect. I don’t know about Newcastle being interested, but I came across reports about Man United, the typical thing. I’m not certain if it was accurate, but even if they had called, I would have wanted to stay at Athletic. I feel lucky to be here.”
La Real relieve strain with extraordinary derby triumph
At the training ground, Bilbao, the morning session is ready to commence; post-session, the quick travel to the airport and another flight to England, now to play Newcastle in the Champions League on the upcoming match. Uttering the name makes Guruzeta smile. It’s turning out to be a tough year for the team, partially owing to the requirements of their participation. Beaten in added time in the weekend clash, they have won only one of their recent league fixtures and been defeated by Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund in European competition. However, consider the broader view, the memorable evenings and those that lie ahead, and he feels a calm gratitude from him.
In the 36 months since he had rejoined the team, Gorka has been a semi-final participant, prevented from reaching a domestic final by Manchester United, and has boarded a decades-old barge along the Nervión river surrounded by a huge crowd after securing the Spanish cup, the team’s initial silverware in 40 years. He’s now the top goal-getter in the UCL, where they are countercultural and returning after absence in ten years. “I couldn’t have pictured this,” he admits.
Guruzeta thought it hard enough just to break into the senior squad and his assessment was correct. Born to the one-time rival player Xabi Guruzeta and a dedicated fan at the team he now opposes, the forward is a graduate of Antiguoko, the Donostiarra team that developed Mikel Arteta, the former star and the Bournemouth manager. He joined Athletic at seventeen but after making his senior debut in August 2018, he went through a torn cruciate, being released, a demotion and a return before he could finally secure an opportunity, returning at 26 to enjoy the highlights of his career.
“Entering the youth system not expecting to reach the senior squad but each step you progress through you’re remaining and you can observe the approach. You make it and … you’re sent away.” He featured briefly in six matches in six games between his bow and early 2019. “Subsequently I returned to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. A few matches at that level and I suffered the ACL injury.
“A massive setback but In retrospect as a beneficial experience because it made me change the perspective. The rehabilitation process is hard, but it helps. You adopt practices you didn’t have. It’s not that you don’t look after yourself, but I would go to training and then head home, as a youngster does. At Lezama, you have everything, so utilize it all. Work, precaution. Hit the weights. If your hips aren’t balanced, address that. Assuming ankle mobility is good, improve it more. All the minor details: perform them.
“In the first team you’re going to collide with opponents who have crashed into players countless occasions. They’re so strong. I look at photos of me before: my legs are chicken legs. Thus incidents occur. Look at pictures of me now and the improvement is clear. The setback taught me. Training finishes, but additional work remains. Everyone else is ready, really ready; no exceptions.”
Game time is essential. He left in tears in 2020, in his early twenties, joining the second tier. With Sabadell in the 20-21 campaign, he netted three goals in 40 games. With Amorebieta in the latter part of the season, the scoring picked up. “Players go through it: transfers, releases. Should you reverse it, work, believe, and if one day the requirement appears in your position, they might come back for you. Preparation is key. Upon the recall, an aspiration fulfilled. Lifting the cup, play in Europe, and make the UCL … pfff.”
Understandably he remarks savor the moment. All the more so after the previous season which, sometimes, was focused on persistence. Previously the main threat with a high tally, his output dropped to seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
