‘All those little things – make sure you do them’: Guruzeta’s road from gurney to goals with the Basque club
The first time Gorka Guruzeta competed in the UK, an teenage playing for the reserve team against Borussia Mönchengladbach Under-23s at Wycombe’s stadium in the 2015 season, he hit the target. The second time he appeared in British turf, against the English side weeks after, he netted. Another occasion, against Pep Guardiola’s team not long later, sure enough, he repeated the feat. When he returned to Manchester to play against the Red Devils at Leigh’s ground in that year, he did it once more. A spectacular strike, too. “Truly,” he says, “it’s a top-class goal I’ve netted.” Therefore the team did what they had to do: they substituted him.
“I was furious,” the forward says, before breaking into laughter. “There must be a video somewhere. Our match against United and I was pretty good. They didn’t let me play the latter period: my contract wasn’t finalized deal, goals were flowing, many stories circulated, you know how it is. I don’t know about interest from Newcastle, but I recall seeing about Man United, the typical thing. I’m not certain how true it was, but had they contacted me, my desire was to remain at the club. I’m fortunate to be here.”
La Real relieve strain with extraordinary derby triumph
At Lezama, the city, the early training is set to begin; post-session, the short journey to the airport and another trip to England, on this occasion to take on the Magpies in the European elite competition on Wednesday. Just saying those two words lights him up. It’s turning out to be a challenging campaign for Athletic, partly because of the demands of their participation. Losing in stoppage time in the weekend clash, they have managed just one win of their past eight league games and been defeated by Arsenal and Dortmund in Europe. However, look at the overall situation, the memorable evenings and those that lie ahead, and he feels a calm gratitude within him.
In the three years since he had rejoined the team, Guruzeta has been a semi-final participant, denied at the last hurdle the showpiece event by Manchester United, and has boarded a decades-old barge through the waterway surrounded by a huge crowd after lifting the trophy, the team’s initial silverware in four decades. He’s now the club’s leading marksman in the UCL, where they are unique and making their first appearance in ten years. “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 ex-La Real star his father and a season ticket holder at the club that are now his rivals, Gorka is a graduate of Antiguoko, the local academy that nurtured the coach, the legendary midfielder and the Bournemouth manager. He signed for Athletic at his teens but after his first-team bow in the 2018 season, he experienced a serious knee problem, dropped, a drop in category and a recall before he could finally secure an opportunity, making his comeback to live the best days of his career.
“Joining the setup thinking you won’t reach the first team but every phase you advance through you’re persisting and you can observe the approach. You get there but … departure is necessary.” 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 I tear my cruciate.
“A severe disappointment but I reflect on it as a beneficial experience because it shifted the perspective. Recovering from a long-term injury is hard, but it helps. You develop habits you didn’t have. It’s not that you don’t look after yourself, but I did the sessions and then return home, like when you’re a kid. At the complex, facilities are comprehensive, so take full advantage. Training, prehab. Hit the weights. With hip imbalance, address that. Assuming ankle mobility is good, make it a 12 or a 14. All the minor details: do them.
“At the top level you’re going to collide with opponents who have crashed into players countless occasions. They’re so strong. Reviewing old images: I had slender legs. Thus incidents occur. Current photos and it’s totally different. Recovery revealed that. Practice concludes, but there’s more to do. Peers are prepared, really ready; no exceptions.”
You also have to play. He left in tears in 2020, at 23 years old, moving to a lower level. With Sabadell in the 20-21 campaign, he got three strikes in forty appearances. At Amorebieta in the latter part of the season, the goals started to flow. “Players go through it: loans, terminated contracts. With a turnaround, dedication, confidence, and when eventually they need someone for your role, they might come back for you. Preparation is key. When they decided to call again, an aspiration fulfilled. The trophy success, European football, and reach the Champions League … pfff.”
Understandably he remarks appreciate the experience. Especially after the previous season which, sometimes, was focused on persistence. From top scorer with a high tally, his output dropped to seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
