‘Every minor detail – execute them’: Guruzeta’s journey from injury table to goals with the Basque club
Whenhe first time Gorka Guruzeta competed in the UK, an 18-year-old representing Athletic Bilbao B against Borussia Mönchengladbach Under-23s at Adams Park in September 2015, he found the net. On his next visit he played in the country, against the English side following that, he converted. His third outing, against Pep Guardiola’s team soon after, well, he repeated the feat. When he returned to Manchester to play against the Red Devils at the sports complex in that year, he did it once more. An excellent finish, too. “In fact,” he says, “it’s a top-class goal in my career.” So Athletic did what they had to do: he was replaced.
“I was furious,” the forward says, and then he starts laughing. “Probably there’s a recording. We went to play United and I performed well. They kept me out of the latter period: I was without a signed my contract, goals were flowing, there were lots of rumours, you know how it is. I’m unsure regarding the Magpies’ pursuit, but I came across reports about Man United, standard transfer gossip. I’m not certain the validity, but supposing an offer came, I’d have chosen to stay at Athletic. I feel lucky to be here.”
Real Sociedad release pressure with surreal victory in Basque derby like no other
At Lezama, the Basque Country, the day’s first practice is about to start; after it, the quick travel to Loiu and another trip to England, this time to face Newcastle in the UCL on the upcoming match. Uttering the name brings a smile to his face. It’s turning out to be a difficult season for Athletic, partially owing to the demands 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 lost against Arsenal and Dortmund in the continental stage. But, look at the overall situation, the big nights he has lived and future challenges, and he feels a calm gratitude within him.
In the 36 months since he had come back to Athletic, the striker has been a semi-final participant, prevented from reaching the showpiece event by the English giants, and has traveled on a traditional boat along the Nervión river surrounded by a million fans after winning the Copa del Rey, the club’s first trophy in a long wait. Now he is the club’s leading marksman in the Champions League, where they are countercultural and debuting in ten years. “I never imagined this,” he states.
Guruzeta thought it hard enough just to break into the senior squad and that proved true. As the child of the former Real Sociedad player Xabi Guruzeta and a regular attendee at the opposition side, Guruzeta is from the Antiguoko academy, the San Sebastián club that developed the coach, the legendary midfielder and the tactician. His move to Athletic came at seventeen but after making his senior debut in the 2018 season, he suffered a ACL injury, the cut, a drop in category and a call back before he could earn his place, making his comeback to enjoy the highlights of their lives.
“Joining the setup doubting you’ll make the top level but each step you advance through you’re remaining and you can observe the approach. You make it and … you have to leave.” He featured briefly in six matches in a handful of matches between his bow and that period. “And then I go back down to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Several appearances with them and I suffered the ACL injury.
“It was a huge blow but In retrospect as a turning point because it made me change the way I saw things. Recovering from a long-term injury is hard, but it helps. You adopt practices new to you. It’s not that you don’t look after yourself, but I attended practice and then return home, as a youngster does. In the facility, facilities are comprehensive, so do everything. Practice, prevention. Get in the gym. With hip imbalance, work on that. With decent ankle function, improve it more. All those ‘silly things’: execute them.
“In the first team you’re going to crash into players who have crashed into players 200,000 times. They’re so strong. Seeing previous pictures: I had slender legs. So what happens, happens. Look at pictures of me now and it’s totally different. The setback taught me. Training finishes, but there’s more to do. Everyone else is ready, really ready; you have to be too.”
Game time is essential. The striker moved upset in that year, aged 23, moving to a lower level. At Sabadell in that season, he scored three times in numerous matches. At Amorebieta in the latter part of the season, the he found his form. “Many experience this: transfers, releases. If you turn it round, work, believe, and if one day the requirement appears where you play, a return could happen. You have to be ready. When the opportunity came, it was a dream come true. Lifting the cup, European football, and make the UCL … pfff.”
No wonder he says savor the moment. Especially after last year which, on occasions, was involved suffering. After being leading scorer with 16 in 2023-24, his output dropped to seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
