‘Every minor detail – execute them’: Guruzeta’s road from gurney to success with the Basque club

Whenhe debut appearance Gorka Guruzeta featured in the UK, an 18-year-old representing Athletic Bilbao B against Borussia Mönchengladbach Under-23s at Wycombe’s stadium in fall 2015, he hit the target. The second time he played in England, against the Black Cats weeks after, he scored. His third outing, against Pep Guardiola’s team not long later, well, he did it once more. Upon his comeback to the northwest to face United at the sports complex in that year, he scored again. It was a superb volley, also. “In fact,” he states, “it ranks among my finest I’ve netted.” So Athletic did what they had to do: they substituted him.

“I became very upset,” the attacker says, and then he starts laughing. “I’m sure there’s footage. Our match against United and I performed well. I wasn’t allowed to feature the latter period: I was without a signed my contract, I kept finding the net, speculation was rife, you know how it is. No confirmation on the Magpies’ pursuit, but I recall seeing about the Red Devils, the usual talk. I’m not certain if it was accurate, but supposing an offer came, I would have wanted to stay at the club. It’s a privilege.”

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At Lezama, Bilbao, the day’s first practice is set to begin; after it, the quick travel to Loiu and another flight to the UK, now to face Newcastle in the European elite competition on the upcoming match. Uttering the name makes Guruzeta smile. This is proving a challenging campaign for the team, partially owing to the demands of competing at this level. Beaten in added time in the derby on Saturday, they have won only one of their last eight matches and been defeated by Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund in Europe. But, take in the big picture, the big nights he has lived and those that lie ahead, and there’s a kind of quiet appreciation from him.

In the three years since he had rejoined the team, Guruzeta has been a Europa League semi-finalist, denied at the last hurdle a final at home by United, and has ridden an historic vessel up the Nervión estuary flanked by a huge crowd after lifting the trophy, the first title in four decades. He’s now the club’s leading marksman in the European competition, where they are distinctive and returning after absence in ten years. “I never imagined this,” he says.

He considered it difficult enough just to break into the senior squad and that proved true. As the child of the former Real Sociedad player his father and a dedicated fan at the club that are now his rivals, the forward is from the Antiguoko academy, the Donostiarra team that developed Mikel Arteta, the former star and the tactician. His move to Athletic came at his teens but after his top-level debut in that summer, he went through a torn cruciate, being released, a relegation and a return before he could finally secure an opportunity, coming back aged 26 to experience the peak of the club’s history.

“You go into the academy doubting you’ll make the senior squad but with every stage you advance through you’re remaining and you can observe the approach. You make it and … you’re sent away.” He played six, nine, five, one, four and 20 minutes in half a dozen appearances between his bow and February 2019. “And then I go back down to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Five, six games with them and my knee gave way.

“It was a huge blow but I look back on it as a beneficial experience because it made me change the way I saw things. The rehabilitation process is hard, but it aids growth. You develop habits you didn’t have. Previously I was casual, but I did the sessions and then go home, typical youth behavior. At the complex, you have everything, so utilize it all. Training, prehab. Hit the weights. Should your hips be uneven, work on that. With decent ankle function, improve it more. All those ‘silly things’: execute them.

“Among professionals you’re going to face physical challenges who have experienced contact countless occasions. Extremely powerful. Reviewing old images: my physique was slight. Injuries are inevitable. Present-day images and it’s totally different. The setback taught me. Practice concludes, but there’s more to do. Everyone else is ready, really ready; you have to be too.”

Minutes are crucial. The striker moved in tears in the pandemic season, at 23 years old, joining the second tier. With Sabadell in that season, he netted three goals in forty appearances. With Amorebieta in the second half of 2021-22, the goals started to flow. “It’s a common path: transfers, releases. Should you reverse it, work, believe, and when eventually a vacancy arises in your position, they might come back for you. Preparation is key. When the opportunity came, it was a dream come true. Lifting the cup, compete continentally, and reach the Champions League … pfff.”

Understandably he remarks appreciate the experience. All the more so after last year which, on occasions, was about endurance. From top scorer with a high tally, he managed seven in {15 games more|additional matches|