‘Every minor detail – execute them’: The striker’s road from injury table to scoring with Athletic

Whenhe first time Gorka Guruzeta competed in the UK, an 18-year-old appearing for the youth squad against German opponents at the English ground in fall 2015, he scored. On his next visit he played in British turf, against the Black Cats following that, he netted. His third outing, against the Citizens not long later, indeed, he scored again. As he revisited to the city to face United at Leigh’s ground in the 2017 season, he scored again. An excellent finish, also. “Actually,” he says, “it’s one of the best goals I’ve netted.” Thus the club did their duty: they took him off.

“I got well angry,” the attacker reveals, then chuckling. “I’m sure there’s footage. We went to play United and I performed well. They didn’t let me play the latter period: I hadn’t yet signed agreement, I was scoring goals, speculation was rife, it’s typical. No confirmation on interest from Newcastle, but I remember reading about Man United, standard transfer gossip. I’m not certain how true it was, but had they contacted me, I would have wanted to stay at the club. I feel lucky to be here.”

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At Lezama, the city, the day’s first practice is about to start; following that, the brief trip to the airport and another trip to Britain, this time to take on the Magpies in the Champions League on midweek. Mentioning that phrase makes Guruzeta smile. It has become a tough year for the club, due in part to the demands of being here. Losing in stoppage time in the local rivalry, they have secured just a single victory of their last eight matches and fallen to the Gunners and Borussia Dortmund in the continental stage. However, look at the overall situation, the memorable evenings and future challenges, and he feels a calm gratitude within him.

In the three years since he had returned to the club, Gorka has been a Europa League semi-finalist, stopped at the gates the showpiece event by United, and has ridden an historic vessel along the Nervión river surrounded by a million fans after winning the Copa del Rey, the club’s first trophy in a long wait. Currently he stands as Athletic’s top scorer in the UCL, where they are distinctive and debuting in a decade. “This was beyond my dreams,” he admits.

He considered it challenging enough just to make the first team and he was right. Born to the ex-La Real star Xabi Guruzeta and a regular attendee at the team he now opposes, Guruzeta is a product of Antiguoko, the San Sebastián club that developed the Arsenal manager, the legendary midfielder and the tactician. He joined Athletic at seventeen but after making his senior debut in that summer, he went through a serious knee problem, being released, a drop in category and a call back before he could earn his place, returning at 26 to live the best days of his career.

“Joining the setup thinking you won’t reach the senior squad but each step you go through you’re remaining and you can see it getting closer. You make it and … you have to leave.” He had limited game time in six games between his bow and that period. “Subsequently I returned 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 made me change the perspective. The rehabilitation process is difficult, but it aids growth. You develop habits previously lacking. It’s not that you don’t look after yourself, but I would go to training and then head home, as a youngster does. At Lezama, all resources are available, so do everything. Training, prehab. Hit the weights. With hip imbalance, work on that. Assuming ankle mobility is good, improve it more. Every small aspect: do them.

“At the top level you’re going to face physical challenges who have experienced contact countless occasions. They’re so strong. Reviewing old images: my legs are chicken legs. Thus incidents occur. Look at pictures of me now and the change is dramatic. Recovery revealed that. Sessions end, but further effort is needed. Everyone else is ready, really ready; no exceptions.”

Game time is essential. He left upset in 2020, in his early twenties, moving to a lower level. With Sabadell in the 20-21 campaign, he netted three goals in forty appearances. At Amorebieta in the second half of 2021-22, the goals started to flow. “Many experience this: transfers, releases. With a turnaround, dedication, confidence, and should the time come a vacancy arises in your position, they might come back for you. Readiness is vital. Upon the recall, an aspiration fulfilled. Lifting the cup, play in Europe, and make the UCL … pfff.”

Understandably he remarks this is to be enjoyed. All the more so after the previous season which, on occasions, was involved suffering. Previously the main threat with sixteen goals, his output dropped to seven in {15 games more|additional matches|