‘Every minor detail – execute them’: Guruzeta’s journey from rehabilitation to scoring with Athletic

Whenhe first time the Spanish forward competed in English soil, an young representing the youth squad against Borussia Mönchengladbach Under-23s at Adams Park in the 2015 season, he found the net. On his next visit he played in the country, against the English side weeks after, he converted. His third outing, against Pep Guardiola’s team not long later, sure enough, he scored again. When he returned to the city to face United at Leigh’s ground in 2017, he found the back of the net. An excellent finish, also. “Actually,” he states, “it’s one of the best goals I’ve ever scored.” So Athletic did what was necessary: they substituted him.

“I became very upset,” the Athletic striker reveals, then chuckling. “I’m sure there’s footage. Our match against United and I performed well. I wasn’t allowed to feature the second half: my contract wasn’t finalized deal, goals were flowing, many stories circulated, as you’d expect. No confirmation on interest from Newcastle, but I remember reading about Man United, the typical thing. 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 the facility, Bilbao, the early training is about to start; after it, the quick travel to Loiu airport and a further journey to Britain, now to play Newcastle in the European elite competition on Wednesday. Mentioning that phrase lights him up. It has become a difficult season for Athletic, due in part to the demands of being here. Beaten in added time in the derby on Saturday, they have won only one of their past eight league games and fallen to the Gunners and the German side in the continental stage. Yet, consider the broader view, the big nights he has lived and upcoming events, and there’s a kind of quiet appreciation about him.

In the the period since he had come back to Athletic, Gorka has been a semi-final participant, prevented from reaching the showpiece event by United, and has traveled on a traditional boat up the Nervión estuary accompanied by countless supporters after securing the Spanish cup, the first title in a long wait. He’s now the top goal-getter in the European competition, where they are distinctive and making their first appearance in a long period. “This was beyond my dreams,” he says.

Guruzeta thought it hard enough just to earn a spot and he was right. As the child of the one-time rival player Xabi Guruzeta and a season ticket holder at the opposition side, Gorka is a graduate of Antiguoko, the San Sebastián club that nurtured the coach, the former star and the Bournemouth manager. He signed for Athletic at 17 but after making his senior debut in that summer, he went through a torn cruciate, dropped, a relegation and a call back before he could truly get a chance, coming back aged 26 to enjoy the highlights of his career.

“Joining the setup thinking you won’t reach the top level but with every stage you go through you’re persisting and you can see it getting closer. You make it and … you’re sent away.” He played six, nine, five, one, four and 20 minutes in six games between his first game and that period. “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 reflect on it as a turning point because it shifted the perspective. The rehabilitation process is difficult, but it’s beneficial. You cultivate routines you didn’t have. It’s not that you don’t look after yourself, but I did the sessions and then go home, like when you’re a kid. At Lezama, facilities are comprehensive, so take full advantage. Work, precaution. Strength training. With hip imbalance, work on that. With decent ankle function, make it a 12 or a 14. All those ‘silly things’: execute them.

“Among professionals you’re going to crash into players who have been in battles countless occasions. Extremely powerful. Seeing previous pictures: my legs are chicken legs. Thus incidents occur. Current photos and the improvement is clear. Recovery revealed that. Practice concludes, but additional work remains. Everyone else is ready, really ready; you have to be too.”

Minutes are crucial. Guruzeta departed in tears in 2020, in his early twenties, joining the second tier. At Sabadell in 2020-21, he got three strikes in numerous matches. During his Amorebieta stint in the latter part of the season, the scoring picked up. “Many experience this: temporary moves, ended deals. Should you reverse it, effort, faith, and when eventually a vacancy arises in your position, a return could happen. You have to be ready. When they decided to call again, a fantasy realized. Lifting the cup, European football, and make the UCL … pfff.”

No wonder he says savor the moment. Especially after last year which, on occasions, was about endurance. After being leading scorer with 16 in 2023-24, he managed seven in {15 games more|additional matches|