‘Every minor detail – execute them’: Guruzeta’s journey from rehabilitation to success with Athletic

Thehe first time Gorka Guruzeta played in England, an 18-year-old appearing for Athletic Bilbao B against Borussia Mönchengladbach Under-23s at Wycombe’s stadium in September 2015, he scored. On his next visit he appeared in England, against Sunderland weeks after, he converted. The third time, against Manchester City not long later, indeed, he scored again. Upon his comeback to Manchester to face United at Leigh’s ground in that year, he found the back of the net. An excellent finish, too. “Truly,” he remarks, “it’s a top-class goal I’ve ever scored.” So Athletic did their duty: he was replaced.

“I was furious,” the Athletic striker reveals, before breaking into laughter. “I’m sure there’s footage. We went to play United and I was pretty good. They didn’t let me play the second half: I was without a signed deal, I was scoring goals, there were lots of rumours, it’s typical. No confirmation on interest from Newcastle, but I recall seeing about Manchester United, the typical thing. It’s unclear if it was accurate, but even if they had called, my desire was to remain at Bilbao. I’m fortunate to be here.”

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At the facility, the city, the morning session is set to begin; following that, the quick travel to Loiu airport and another flight to the UK, now to play Newcastle in the European elite competition on midweek. Mentioning that phrase brings a smile to his face. It’s turning out to be a tough year for the club, partially owing to the pressures of competing at this level. Losing in stoppage time in the local rivalry, they have secured just a single victory of their past eight league games and fallen to the Gunners and Borussia Dortmund in European competition. Yet, look at the overall situation, the big nights he has lived and upcoming events, and there’s a kind of quiet appreciation about him.

In the the period since he had returned to the club, the striker has been a semi-final participant, denied at the last hurdle a final at home by the English giants, and has ridden an historic vessel through the waterway accompanied by a huge crowd after securing the Spanish cup, the club’s first trophy in a long wait. Currently he stands as Athletic’s top scorer in the European competition, where they are unique and making their first appearance in a long period. “I never imagined this,” he says.

The player believed it difficult enough just to earn a spot and he was right. As the child of the ex-La Real star his father and a dedicated fan at the club that are now his rivals, the forward is a product of Antiguoko, the Donostiarra team that developed the coach, Xabi Alonso and the Bournemouth manager. He signed for Athletic at seventeen but after his top-level debut in that summer, he went through a serious knee problem, the cut, a relegation and a recall before he could earn his place, returning at 26 to experience the peak of his career.

“Joining the setup not expecting to reach the senior squad but with every stage you advance through you’re persisting and you can observe the approach. You arrive and then … departure is necessary.” He played six, nine, five, one, four and 20 minutes in six games between his first game and February 2019. “And then I go back down to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. A few matches there and I suffered the ACL injury.

“A massive setback but I look back on it as a beneficial experience because it forced me to alter the way I saw things. Recovering from a long-term injury is challenging, but it helps. You adopt practices you didn’t have. It’s not that you don’t look after yourself, but I attended practice and then go home, typical youth behavior. At the complex, 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 those ‘silly things’: perform them.

“Among professionals you’re going to face physical challenges who have experienced contact 200,000 times. Extremely powerful. I look at photos of me before: I had slender legs. Injuries are inevitable. Present-day images and it’s totally different. Recovery revealed that. Sessions end, but there’s more to do. Everyone else is ready, really ready; no exceptions.”

Game time is essential. The striker moved in tears in the pandemic season, at 23 years old, moving to a lower level. At Sabadell in 2020-21, he netted three goals in numerous matches. At Amorebieta in the latter part of the season, the goals started to flow. “Players go through it: transfers, releases. Should you reverse it, effort, faith, and should the time come the requirement appears for your role, recall is possible. Readiness is vital. Upon the recall, an aspiration fulfilled. The trophy success, play in Europe, and make the UCL … pfff.”

Little surprise he states savor the moment. All the more so after the previous season which, sometimes, was involved suffering. After being leading scorer with sixteen goals, last season he got seven in {15 games more|additional matches|