‘All those little things – make sure you do them’: Guruzeta’s journey from injury table to success with the Basque club
Whenhe debut appearance Gorka Guruzeta featured in the UK, an 18-year-old representing the youth squad against Borussia Mönchengladbach Under-23s at Adams Park in September 2015, he hit the target. On his next visit he took the field in England, against the Black Cats weeks after, he converted. Another occasion, against Manchester City soon after, well, he scored again. Upon his comeback to Manchester to face United at Leigh Sports Village in that year, he found the back of the net. A spectacular strike, too. “Actually,” he remarks, “it’s one of the best goals I’ve ever scored.” So Athletic did what they had to do: they substituted him.
“I got well angry,” the Athletic striker reveals, before breaking into laughter. “Probably there’s a recording. Our match against United and I was pretty good. They kept me out of the latter period: my contract wasn’t finalized agreement, I was scoring goals, there were lots of rumours, you know how it is. No confirmation on Newcastle being interested, but I remember reading about the Red Devils, the usual talk. I’m not certain how true it was, but supposing an offer came, my desire was to remain at the club. 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 early training is set to begin; following that, the brief trip to Loiu airport and a further journey to the UK, on this occasion to play Newcastle in the UCL on the upcoming match. Mentioning that phrase makes Guruzeta smile. It’s turning out to be a difficult season for Athletic, partly because of the pressures of being here. Losing in stoppage time in the weekend clash, they have won only one of their recent league fixtures and been defeated by Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund in Europe. Yet, consider the broader view, the big nights he has lived and those that lie ahead, and a sense of thankful reflection within him.
In the 36 months since he had come back to Athletic, Gorka has been a final four contender in Europe, denied at the last hurdle a final at home by United, and has boarded a decades-old barge through the waterway accompanied by a million fans after lifting the trophy, the club’s first trophy in a long wait. Now he is the club’s leading marksman in the Champions League, where they are distinctive and returning after absence in a decade. “This was beyond my dreams,” he states.
Guruzeta thought it hard enough just to make the first team and his assessment was correct. Born to the one-time rival player his father and a season ticket holder at the team he now opposes, the forward is a graduate of Antiguoko, the local academy that nurtured the Arsenal manager, the former star and the tactician. He joined Athletic at seventeen but after his top-level debut in that summer, he experienced a serious knee problem, being released, a demotion and a call back before he could truly get a chance, making his comeback to enjoy the highlights of his career.
“Joining the setup thinking you won’t reach the first team but every phase you progress through you’re still there and you can notice the proximity. You arrive and then … you have to leave.” He played six, nine, five, one, four and 20 minutes in six games between his first game and early 2019. “Then I was sent to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. A few matches with them and I tear my cruciate.
“A massive setback but In retrospect as something positive because it shifted the perspective. Recovering from a long-term injury is hard, but it’s beneficial. You adopt practices previously lacking. It’s not about neglect, but I did the sessions and then return home, as a youngster does. In the facility, all resources are available, so take full advantage. Training, prehab. Strength training. With hip imbalance, work on that. Assuming ankle mobility is good, improve it more. Every small aspect: execute them.
“Among professionals you’re going to crash into players who have experienced contact repeatedly. Extremely powerful. Seeing previous pictures: I had slender legs. So what happens, happens. Look at pictures of me now and it’s totally different. Recovery revealed that. Training finishes, but additional work remains. Everyone else is ready, really ready; the same applies.”
You also have to play. He left upset in the pandemic season, in his early twenties, moving to a lower level. During his Sabadell spell in that season, he got three strikes in numerous matches. With Amorebieta in the second half of 2021-22, the he found his form. “It’s a common path: loans, terminated contracts. Should you reverse it, effort, faith, and when eventually a vacancy arises where you play, a return could happen. You have to be ready. When the opportunity came, an aspiration fulfilled. To then win the Copa del Rey, compete continentally, and qualify for Europe’s top tier … pfff.”
No wonder he says appreciate the experience. Especially after last year which, on occasions, was involved suffering. After being leading scorer with a high tally, he managed seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
