‘All those silly things – do them’: Guruzeta’s path from rehabilitation to success with the Basque club
Thehe first time Gorka Guruzeta featured in English soil, an 18-year-old playing for the reserve team against Bundesliga youth at Adams Park in fall 2015, he hit the target. During his subsequent match he played in British turf, against the Black Cats weeks after, he netted. His third outing, against Pep Guardiola’s team not long later, well, he repeated the feat. As he revisited to the northwest to play against the Red Devils at the sports complex in the 2017 season, he found the back of the net. An excellent finish, as well. “In fact,” he remarks, “it’s one of the best goals I’ve ever scored.” So Athletic did what was necessary: he was replaced.
“I became very upset,” the forward says, before breaking into laughter. “There must be a video somewhere. We traveled to face United and I performed well. I wasn’t allowed to feature the latter period: I hadn’t yet signed agreement, I was scoring goals, there were lots of rumours, you know how it is. I’m unsure regarding the Magpies’ pursuit, but I recall seeing about the Red Devils, standard transfer gossip. I’m not certain how true it was, but supposing an offer came, I would have wanted to stay at the club. I feel lucky to be here.”
La Real relieve strain with extraordinary derby triumph
At Lezama, Bilbao, the morning session is about to start; post-session, the brief trip to Loiu and another trip to Britain, now to play Newcastle in the UCL on the upcoming match. Mentioning that phrase lights him up. It has become a tough year for the club, due in part to the requirements of being here. Beaten in added time in the derby on Saturday, they have managed just one win of their recent league fixtures and fallen to the Gunners and the German side in the continental stage. Yet, take in the big picture, the memorable evenings and those that lie ahead, and he feels a calm gratitude about him.
In the the period since he had come back to Athletic, Gorka has been a Europa League semi-finalist, prevented from reaching a domestic final by Manchester United, and has ridden an historic vessel through the waterway accompanied by a huge crowd after securing the Spanish cup, the team’s initial silverware in 40 years. Currently he stands as Athletic’s top scorer in the Champions League, where they are distinctive and returning after absence in a decade. “I couldn’t have pictured this,” he admits.
The player believed it difficult enough just to earn a spot and his assessment was correct. As the child of the former Real Sociedad player the former professional and a regular attendee at the team he now opposes, Gorka is a graduate of Antiguoko, the San Sebastián club that produced the coach, Xabi Alonso and Andoni Iraola. He signed for Athletic at his teens but after making his senior debut in August 2018, he went through a ACL injury, being released, a demotion and a recall before he could earn his place, coming back aged 26 to experience the peak of his career.
“Joining the setup doubting you’ll make the senior squad but each step you progress through you’re remaining and you can observe the approach. You arrive and then … departure is necessary.” He featured briefly in six matches in half a dozen appearances between his first game and February 2019. “Then I was sent to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Several appearances there and I tear my cruciate.
“A severe disappointment but I look back on it as a turning point because it shifted the way I saw things. The rehabilitation process is hard, but it aids growth. You adopt practices previously lacking. Previously I was casual, but I attended practice and then return home, as a youngster does. In the facility, facilities are comprehensive, so utilize it all. Training, prehab. Get in the gym. With hip imbalance, correct it. With decent ankle function, improve it more. All the minor details: do them.
“Among professionals you’re going to crash into players who have experienced contact 200,000 times. Extremely powerful. Seeing previous pictures: I had slender legs. Injuries are inevitable. Current photos and it’s totally different. Injury made me see that. Training finishes, but additional work remains. Teammates are set, really ready; you have to be too.”
You also have to play. The striker moved in tears in the pandemic season, at 23 years old, joining the second tier. During his Sabadell spell in the 20-21 campaign, he netted three goals in 40 games. During his Amorebieta stint in the second half of 2021-22, the he found his form. “It’s a common path: temporary moves, ended deals. If you turn it round, effort, faith, and if one day they need someone in your position, recall is possible. Preparation is key. When they decided to call again, it was a dream come true. To then win the Copa del Rey, European football, and make the UCL … pfff.”
No wonder he says savor the moment. All the more so after last year which, sometimes, was about endurance. From top scorer with sixteen goals, his output dropped to seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
