‘All those little things – make sure you do them’: Guruzeta’s road from rehabilitation to success with Athletic Bilbao
Whenhe initial occasion Gorka Guruzeta competed in England, an young representing the reserve team against Bundesliga youth at Adams Park in fall 2015, he scored. During his subsequent match he appeared in England, against the English side following that, he scored. His third outing, against the Citizens soon after, sure enough, he did it once more. When he returned to Manchester to take on Manchester United at Leigh’s ground in that year, he did it once more. A spectacular strike, as well. “Actually,” he states, “it’s a top-class goal I’ve ever scored.” Thus the club did their duty: he was replaced.
“I got well angry,” the forward reveals, before breaking into laughter. “Probably there’s a recording. We went to play United and I was in fine form. They kept me out of the final 45 minutes: my contract wasn’t finalized deal, goals were flowing, there were lots of rumours, as you’d expect. I don’t know about interest from Newcastle, but I remember reading about Man United, the usual talk. I’m not certain how true it was, but supposing an offer came, I’d have chosen to stay at Bilbao. I’m fortunate to be here.”
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At Lezama, the Basque Country, the day’s first practice is ready to commence; after it, the quick travel to Loiu airport and a further journey to the UK, on this occasion to face Newcastle in the UCL on the upcoming match. Uttering the name makes Guruzeta smile. It has become a tough year for the team, due in part to the pressures of their participation. Beaten in added time in the local rivalry, they have won only one of their recent league fixtures and been defeated by Arsenal and Dortmund in Europe. However, take in the big picture, the memorable evenings and future challenges, and there’s a kind of quiet appreciation from him.
In the three years since he had returned to the club, Guruzeta has been a final four contender in Europe, prevented from reaching a domestic final by United, and has boarded a decades-old barge through the waterway flanked by a million fans after winning the Copa del Rey, the first title in 40 years. He’s now the club’s leading marksman in the European competition, where they are distinctive and returning after absence in ten years. “This was beyond my dreams,” he says.
The player believed it challenging enough just to earn a spot and he was right. As the child of the ex-La Real star the former professional and a regular attendee at the club that are now his rivals, the forward is a graduate of Antiguoko, the local academy that nurtured Mikel Arteta, the legendary midfielder and the Bournemouth manager. He signed for Athletic at his teens but after making his senior debut in the 2018 season, he experienced a ACL injury, dropped, a drop in category and a return before he could finally secure an opportunity, making his comeback to experience the peak of their lives.
“Entering the youth system thinking you won’t reach the first team but each step you progress through you’re remaining and you can see it getting closer. You arrive and then … you’re sent away.” He featured briefly in six matches in a handful of matches between his debut and early 2019. “Subsequently I returned to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Five, six games with them and my knee gave way.
“A severe disappointment but In retrospect as a turning point because it shifted the perspective. The rehabilitation process is hard, but it helps. You develop habits new to you. Previously I was casual, but I did the sessions and then return home, typical youth behavior. At Lezama, all resources are available, so utilize it all. Work, precaution. Get in the gym. Should your hips be uneven, work on that. With decent ankle function, improve it more. Every small aspect: do them.
“In the first team you’re going to collide with opponents who have crashed into players 200,000 times. Highly robust. I look at photos of me before: my physique was slight. Thus incidents occur. Current photos and it’s totally different. Recovery revealed that. Training finishes, but there’s more to do. Peers are prepared, really ready; you have to be too.”
Minutes are crucial. He left upset in the pandemic season, aged 23, dropping into the second division. With Sabadell in that season, he scored three times in numerous matches. During his Amorebieta stint in the following period, the goals started to flow. “Players go through it: temporary moves, ended deals. If you turn it round, dedication, confidence, and if one day the requirement appears in your position, they might come back for you. Readiness is vital. When the opportunity came, it was a dream come true. To then win the Copa del Rey, compete continentally, and qualify for Europe’s top tier … pfff.”
Understandably he remarks this is to be enjoyed. All the more so after the prior campaign which, at times, was involved suffering. After being leading scorer with 16 in 2023-24, his output dropped to seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
