‘All those silly things – do them’: Guruzeta’s journey from injury table to scoring with Athletic
Thehe initial occasion the Athletic striker played in English soil, an teenage playing for the youth squad against German opponents at Adams Park in the 2015 season, he found the net. On his next visit he appeared in the country, against the English side following that, he converted. The third time, against the Citizens six weeks after that, indeed, he did it once more. As he revisited to Manchester to play against the Red Devils at the sports complex in the 2017 season, he scored again. An excellent finish, as well. “Actually,” he says, “it ranks among my finest I’ve netted.” So Athletic did their duty: he was replaced.
“I got well angry,” the forward admits, then chuckling. “I’m sure there’s footage. Our match against United and I was in fine form. They kept me out of the final 45 minutes: my contract wasn’t finalized agreement, I was scoring goals, many stories circulated, it’s typical. I don’t know about the Magpies’ pursuit, but I recall seeing about Manchester United, the usual talk. It’s unclear the validity, but had they contacted me, I’d have chosen to stay at Bilbao. I’m fortunate to be here.”
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At the training ground, the city, the early training is about to start; following that, the brief trip to the airport and another trip to England, now to play Newcastle in the UCL on midweek. Uttering the name makes Guruzeta smile. It has become a difficult season for Athletic, partly because of the demands of their participation. Beaten in added time in the weekend clash, they have secured just a single victory of their past eight league games and lost against Arsenal and the German side in Europe. But, consider the broader view, the big nights he has lived and upcoming events, and there’s a kind of quiet appreciation within him.
In the three years since he had rejoined the team, Guruzeta has been a final four contender in Europe, denied at the last hurdle a final at home by the English giants, and has ridden an historic vessel along the Nervión river flanked by a million fans after lifting the trophy, the team’s initial silverware in four decades. Now he is the club’s leading marksman in the UCL, where they are unique and returning after absence in a decade. “I couldn’t have pictured this,” he says.
The player believed it hard enough just to earn a spot and that proved true. The son of the one-time rival player his father and a dedicated fan at the team he now opposes, the forward is a product of Antiguoko, the San Sebastián club that developed Mikel Arteta, the former star and the Bournemouth manager. He signed for Athletic at 17 but after his top-level debut in the 2018 season, he experienced a serious knee problem, the cut, a drop in category and a call back before he could earn his place, making his comeback to experience the peak of his career.
“You go into the academy not expecting to reach the senior squad but every phase you advance through you’re persisting and you can see it getting closer. You arrive and then … you have to leave.” He had limited game time in six games between his debut and that period. “And then I go back down to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. A few matches at that level and my knee gave way.
“A severe disappointment but I look back on it as a turning point because it made me change the outlook. The rehabilitation process is challenging, but it helps. You develop habits you didn’t have. Previously I was casual, but I attended practice and then head home, typical youth behavior. At the complex, you have everything, so utilize it all. Work, precaution. Strength training. With hip imbalance, work on that. If your ankles are a 10, enhance it further. Every small aspect: execute them.
“Among professionals you’re going to face physical challenges who have experienced contact repeatedly. They’re so strong. Reviewing old images: I had slender legs. So what happens, happens. Present-day images and it’s totally different. The setback taught me. Training finishes, but further effort is needed. Teammates are set, really ready; you have to be too.”
Game time is essential. He left emotionally in the pandemic season, aged 23, moving to a lower level. With Sabadell in that season, he got three strikes in numerous matches. During his Amorebieta stint in the following period, the goals started to flow. “It’s a common path: loans, terminated contracts. With a turnaround, effort, faith, and when eventually they need someone in your position, recall is possible. Preparation is key. When the opportunity came, an aspiration fulfilled. To then win the Copa del Rey, compete continentally, and reach the Champions League … pfff.”
No wonder he says savor the moment. All the more so after the previous season which, at times, was focused on persistence. After being leading scorer with sixteen goals, his output dropped to seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
