‘Every minor detail – execute them’: Guruzeta’s road from injury table to success with Athletic
The initial occasion the Spanish forward featured in English soil, an young representing the reserve team against German opponents at Adams Park in fall 2015, he scored. On his next visit he took the field in the country, against the English side two months later, he netted. The third time, against Pep Guardiola’s team not long later, well, he repeated the feat. When he returned to the northwest to take on Manchester United at Leigh Sports Village in 2017, he did it once more. An excellent finish, also. “Actually,” he says, “it ranks among my finest I’ve netted.” So Athletic did what they had to do: they substituted him.
“I was furious,” the attacker reveals, then chuckling. “I’m sure there’s footage. Our match against United and I was pretty good. I wasn’t allowed to feature the latter period: I was without a signed deal, I was scoring goals, speculation was rife, it’s typical. I’m unsure regarding Newcastle being interested, but I came across reports about Manchester United, the usual talk. I’m not certain if it was accurate, but supposing an offer came, I’d have chosen to stay 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 quick travel to the airport and another flight to Britain, now to take on the Magpies in the European elite competition on midweek. Uttering the name makes Guruzeta smile. It’s turning out to be a difficult season for the club, partly because of the demands of their participation. Losing in stoppage time in the derby on Saturday, they have won only one of their last eight matches and fallen to the Gunners and Dortmund in Europe. However, consider the broader view, the major occasions he’s experienced and upcoming events, and he feels a calm gratitude within him.
In the three years since he had returned to the club, the striker has been a final four contender in Europe, stopped at the gates the showpiece event by the English giants, and has boarded a decades-old barge up the Nervión estuary accompanied by a million fans after securing the Spanish cup, the club’s first trophy in a long wait. He’s now Athletic’s top scorer in the Champions League, where they are distinctive and debuting in a long period. “I couldn’t have pictured this,” he says.
Guruzeta thought it challenging enough just to earn a spot and that proved true. The son of the one-time rival player Xabi Guruzeta and a dedicated fan at the opposition side, Gorka is from the Antiguoko academy, the San Sebastián club that developed the Arsenal manager, the former star and the tactician. He joined Athletic at seventeen but after his top-level debut in that summer, he suffered a ACL injury, dropped, a drop in category and a return before he could finally secure an opportunity, returning at 26 to live the best days of their lives.
“Joining the setup doubting you’ll make the top level but with every stage you go through you’re persisting and you can observe the approach. You get there but … you’re sent away.” He played six, nine, five, one, four and 20 minutes in six games 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 I look back on it as a turning point because it forced me to alter the outlook. Recovering from a long-term injury is hard, but it aids growth. You adopt practices you didn’t have. It’s not that you don’t look after yourself, but I did the sessions and then head home, typical youth behavior. At the complex, all resources are available, so take full advantage. Practice, prevention. Get in the gym. Should your hips be uneven, work on that. If your ankles are a 10, make it a 12 or a 14. All the minor details: execute them.
“Among professionals you’re going to face physical challenges who have been in battles 200,000 times. Highly robust. Seeing previous pictures: my legs are chicken legs. So what happens, happens. Look at pictures of me now and it’s totally different. The setback taught me. Sessions end, but additional work remains. Everyone else is ready, really ready; the same applies.”
Game time is essential. The striker moved in tears in the pandemic season, aged 23, moving to a lower level. At Sabadell in that season, he netted three goals in forty appearances. At Amorebieta in the following period, the scoring picked up. “It’s a common path: transfers, releases. With a turnaround, work, believe, and if one day the requirement appears where you play, they might come back for you. Preparation is key. When they decided to call again, an aspiration fulfilled. The trophy success, European football, and qualify for Europe’s top tier … pfff.”
No wonder he says appreciate the experience. Especially after the previous season which, sometimes, was involved suffering. Previously the main threat with 16 in 2023-24, he managed seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
