‘All those little things – make sure you do them’: The striker’s journey from gurney to goals with Athletic Bilbao
Whenhe debut appearance the Athletic striker competed in the UK, an young appearing for the youth squad against Borussia Mönchengladbach Under-23s at the English ground in September 2015, he hit the target. On his next visit he took the field in the country, against the Black Cats two months later, he netted. The third time, against Pep Guardiola’s team not long later, indeed, he did it once more. As he revisited to the northwest to take on Manchester United at Leigh Sports Village in 2017, he did it once more. A spectacular strike, too. “Truly,” he says, “it’s one of the best goals I’ve ever scored.” Thus the club did their duty: he was replaced.
“I became very upset,” the forward reveals, and then he starts laughing. “Probably there’s a recording. We went to play United and I performed well. They didn’t let me play the latter period: I hadn’t yet signed my contract, goals were flowing, speculation was rife, as you’d expect. No confirmation on interest from Newcastle, but I recall seeing about Manchester United, standard transfer gossip. It’s unclear if it was accurate, but even if they had called, my desire was to remain at Athletic. I feel lucky to be here.”
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At Lezama, the city, the early training is about to start; following that, the brief trip to Loiu and another trip to England, on this occasion to play Newcastle in the European elite competition on the upcoming match. Mentioning that phrase brings a smile to his face. It’s turning out to be a challenging campaign for the team, partly because of the demands of being here. Losing in stoppage time in the local rivalry, they have won only one of their past eight league games and been defeated by Arsenal and the German side in Europe. However, look at the overall situation, the major occasions he’s experienced and upcoming events, and a sense of thankful reflection from him.
In the the period since he had returned to the club, Guruzeta has been a Europa League semi-finalist, prevented from reaching a domestic final by the English giants, and has traveled on a traditional boat up the Nervión estuary surrounded by a million fans after winning the Copa del Rey, the team’s initial silverware in four decades. Now he is Athletic’s top scorer in the UCL, where they are countercultural and making their first appearance in ten years. “This was beyond my dreams,” he says.
He considered it hard enough just to earn a spot and he was right. The son of the former Real Sociedad player Xabi Guruzeta and a dedicated fan at the opposition side, Guruzeta is a graduate of Antiguoko, the San Sebastián club that developed the Arsenal manager, Xabi Alonso and the tactician. His move to Athletic came at his teens but after his top-level debut in that summer, he went through a serious knee problem, being released, a demotion and a call back before he could finally secure an opportunity, coming back aged 26 to enjoy the highlights of his career.
“You go into the academy thinking you won’t reach the top level but with every stage you advance through you’re persisting and you can notice the proximity. You get there but … you have to leave.” He featured briefly in six matches in a handful of matches between his bow and February 2019. “Subsequently I returned to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Several appearances with them and I tear my cruciate.
“It was a huge blow but In retrospect as something positive because it forced me to alter the way I saw things. The rehabilitation process is challenging, but it’s beneficial. You cultivate routines previously lacking. It’s not that you don’t look after yourself, but I attended practice and then go home, typical youth behavior. In the facility, facilities are comprehensive, so utilize it all. Training, prehab. Get in the gym. Should your hips be uneven, address that. With decent ankle function, improve it more. Every small aspect: do them.
“In the first team you’re going to face physical challenges who have been in battles 200,000 times. Extremely powerful. Seeing previous pictures: my physique was slight. So what happens, happens. Look at pictures of me now and the change is dramatic. Injury made me see that. Sessions end, but there’s more to do. Peers are prepared, really ready; you have to be too.”
Game time is essential. Guruzeta departed in tears in 2020, aged 23, moving to a lower level. With Sabadell in that season, he scored three times in 40 games. At Amorebieta in the latter part of the season, the scoring picked up. “Players go through it: transfers, releases. Should you reverse it, effort, faith, and when eventually they need someone in your position, a return could happen. You have to be ready. Upon the recall, it was a dream come true. The trophy success, European football, and reach the Champions League … pfff.”
Understandably he remarks savor the moment. Especially after last year which, sometimes, was focused on persistence. After being leading scorer with a high tally, last season he got seven in {15 games more|additional matches|