‘All those silly things – do them’: The striker’s road from injury table to success with Athletic
Thehe debut appearance the Spanish forward competed in the UK, an teenage playing for Athletic Bilbao B against Borussia Mönchengladbach Under-23s at Adams Park in September 2015, he found the net. On his next visit he played in British turf, against the English side two months later, he netted. Another occasion, against Manchester City not long later, well, he repeated the feat. When he returned to Manchester to face United at the sports complex in that year, he scored again. A spectacular strike, too. “Actually,” he says, “it ranks among my finest I’ve netted.” Thus the club did what was necessary: they substituted him.
“I was furious,” the forward admits, before breaking into laughter. “I’m sure there’s footage. We traveled to face United and I performed well. They kept me out of the final 45 minutes: my contract wasn’t finalized agreement, I kept finding the net, many stories circulated, it’s typical. I’m unsure regarding Newcastle being interested, but I recall seeing about Manchester United, standard transfer gossip. I have no idea if it was accurate, but even if they had called, 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; following that, the short journey to Loiu airport and another trip to Britain, this time to play Newcastle in the European elite competition on midweek. Uttering the name lights him up. This is proving a tough year for Athletic, partially owing to the demands of being here. Beaten in added time in the local rivalry, they have managed just one win of their past eight league games and fallen to the Gunners and Dortmund in European competition. Yet, look at the overall situation, the big nights he has lived and upcoming events, and there’s a kind of quiet appreciation within him.
In the 36 months since he had returned to the club, Gorka has been a semi-final participant, stopped at the gates a domestic final by the English giants, and has boarded a decades-old barge along the Nervión river accompanied by a million fans after securing the Spanish cup, the team’s initial silverware in four decades. Currently he stands as the top goal-getter in the European competition, where they are countercultural and returning after absence in a decade. “This was beyond my dreams,” he states.
Guruzeta thought it hard enough just to earn a spot and his assessment was correct. As the child of the ex-La Real star the former professional and a season ticket holder at the club that are now his rivals, Gorka is a graduate of Antiguoko, the San Sebastián club that nurtured the coach, the legendary midfielder and Andoni Iraola. He joined Athletic at seventeen but after his first-team bow in August 2018, he went through a torn cruciate, dropped, a drop in category and a call back before he could finally secure an opportunity, making his comeback to enjoy the highlights of their lives.
“You go into the academy doubting you’ll make the first team but with every stage you progress through you’re still there and you can observe the approach. You make it and … you have to leave.” He had limited game time in a handful of matches between his debut and that period. “Then I was sent to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Five, six games with them and I suffered the ACL injury.
“A severe disappointment but In retrospect as a beneficial experience because it shifted the perspective. Healing from a serious ailment is challenging, but it helps. You develop habits previously lacking. It’s not that you don’t look after yourself, but I attended practice and then return home, as a youngster does. In the facility, you have everything, so utilize it all. Practice, prevention. Get in the gym. Should your hips be uneven, correct it. With decent ankle function, make it a 12 or a 14. All the minor details: execute them.
“Among professionals you’re going to face physical challenges who have crashed into players repeatedly. Highly robust. Seeing previous pictures: my physique was slight. Injuries are inevitable. Current photos and the change is dramatic. The setback taught me. Practice concludes, but further effort is needed. Peers are prepared, really ready; the same applies.”
Minutes are crucial. Guruzeta departed in tears in 2020, in his early twenties, joining the second tier. During his Sabadell spell in 2020-21, he got three strikes in forty appearances. With Amorebieta in the second half of 2021-22, the goals started to flow. “Many experience this: temporary moves, ended deals. With a turnaround, dedication, confidence, and should the time come the requirement appears for your role, recall is possible. You have to be ready. Upon the recall, it was a dream come true. Lifting the cup, compete continentally, and make the UCL … pfff.”
Understandably he remarks this is to be enjoyed. Especially after last year which, on occasions, was focused on persistence. After being leading scorer with sixteen goals, he managed seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
