‘All those little things – make sure you do them’: Guruzeta’s journey from gurney to goals with Athletic
The initial occasion Gorka Guruzeta featured in English soil, an teenage representing the youth squad against German opponents at Adams Park in fall 2015, he found the net. On his next visit he appeared in the country, against Sunderland two months later, he converted. Another occasion, against Pep Guardiola’s team not long later, sure enough, he scored again. Upon his comeback to the northwest to play against the Red Devils at Leigh Sports Village in 2017, he found the back of the net. A spectacular strike, also. “In fact,” he says, “it ranks among my finest I’ve netted.” Therefore the team did what was necessary: they took him off.
“I was furious,” the Athletic striker admits, then chuckling. “Probably there’s a recording. Our match against United and I was pretty good. They kept me out of the second half: my contract wasn’t finalized deal, I was scoring goals, speculation was rife, you know how it is. I’m unsure regarding Newcastle being interested, but I came across reports about Man United, the usual talk. It’s unclear the validity, but supposing an offer came, I’d have chosen to stay at Bilbao. It’s a privilege.”
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At the training ground, the city, the morning session is set to begin; post-session, the brief trip to the airport and another trip to Britain, this time to play Newcastle in the UCL on midweek. Just saying those two words brings a smile to his face. It has become a challenging campaign for the club, due in part to the requirements of competing at this level. Beaten in added time in the weekend clash, they have managed just one win of their past eight league games and lost against Arsenal and Dortmund in the continental stage. Yet, take in the big picture, the big nights he has lived and upcoming events, and a sense of thankful reflection from him.
In the the period since he had come back to Athletic, Gorka has been a Europa League semi-finalist, prevented from reaching a domestic final by United, and has traveled on a traditional boat along the Nervión river accompanied by countless supporters after lifting the trophy, the first title in a long wait. Now he is the top goal-getter in the Champions League, where they are countercultural and returning after absence in a decade. “I never imagined this,” he says.
Guruzeta thought it challenging enough just to break into the senior squad and that proved true. The son of the one-time rival player Xabi Guruzeta and a season ticket holder at the opposition side, the forward is from the Antiguoko academy, the local academy that produced the Arsenal manager, the former star and the Bournemouth manager. He joined Athletic at his teens but after his top-level debut in the 2018 season, he experienced a torn cruciate, dropped, a drop in category and a return before he could finally secure an opportunity, making his comeback to live the best days of their lives.
“You go into the academy not expecting to reach the first team but with every stage you progress through you’re still there and you can observe the approach. You arrive and then … departure is necessary.” He featured briefly in six matches in six games between his debut and that period. “And then I go back down to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Several appearances at that level and my knee gave way.
“It was a huge blow but I reflect on it as something positive because it forced me to alter the way I saw things. The rehabilitation process is hard, but it’s beneficial. You develop habits previously lacking. It’s not about neglect, but I attended practice and then return home, like when you’re a kid. At the complex, all resources are available, so do everything. Practice, prevention. Get in the gym. Should your hips be uneven, address that. If your ankles are a 10, enhance it further. All the minor details: perform them.
“At the top level you’re going to face physical challenges who have experienced contact repeatedly. They’re so strong. Reviewing old images: I had slender legs. So what happens, happens. Look at pictures of me now and it’s totally different. Injury made me see that. Practice concludes, but there’s more to do. Everyone else is ready, really ready; you have to be too.”
You also have to play. The striker moved emotionally in the pandemic season, aged 23, moving to a lower level. At Sabadell in the 20-21 campaign, he netted three goals in numerous matches. During his Amorebieta stint in the latter part of the season, the goals started to flow. “Many experience this: transfers, releases. If you turn it round, dedication, confidence, and if one day the requirement appears for your role, they might come back for you. You have to be ready. Upon the recall, 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. Particularly after last year which, at times, was about endurance. After being leading scorer with 16 in 2023-24, his output dropped to seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
