‘All those little things – make sure you do them’: The striker’s journey from rehabilitation to success with the Basque club

The initial occasion the Athletic striker competed in the UK, an young representing Athletic Bilbao B against Borussia Mönchengladbach Under-23s at Wycombe’s stadium in September 2015, he hit the target. During his subsequent match he took the field in England, against the English side weeks after, he converted. Another occasion, against Manchester City not long later, indeed, he repeated the feat. Upon his comeback to Manchester to take on Manchester United at Leigh Sports Village in the 2017 season, he found the back of the net. An excellent finish, also. “Truly,” he remarks, “it ranks among my finest I’ve ever scored.” Thus the club did what was necessary: 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 was pretty good. I wasn’t allowed to feature the latter period: I was without a signed agreement, I kept finding the net, there were lots of rumours, it’s typical. I’m unsure regarding Newcastle being interested, but I came across reports about Man United, the usual talk. I’m not certain the validity, but had they contacted me, my desire was to remain at Athletic. It’s a privilege.”

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At Lezama, the city, the day’s first practice is ready to commence; post-session, the brief trip to Loiu airport and a further journey to Britain, this time to take on the Magpies in the UCL on the upcoming match. Just saying those two words brings a smile to his face. It has become a challenging campaign for the team, partially owing to the requirements of being here. Defeated late on in the derby on Saturday, they have managed just one win of their recent league fixtures and lost against Arsenal and Dortmund in European competition. However, 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 the period since he had come back to Athletic, Gorka has been a final four contender in Europe, stopped at the gates a final at home by the English giants, and has traveled on a traditional boat through the waterway surrounded by a huge crowd after winning the Copa del Rey, the team’s initial silverware in 40 years. Now he is Athletic’s top scorer in the European competition, where they are countercultural and returning after absence in a decade. “This was beyond my dreams,” he states.

The player believed it hard enough just to break into the senior squad and he was right. As the child of the ex-La Real star the former professional and a dedicated fan at the team he now opposes, Guruzeta is from the Antiguoko academy, the Donostiarra team that nurtured Mikel Arteta, the legendary midfielder and Andoni Iraola. His move to Athletic came at 17 but after his first-team bow in the 2018 season, he suffered a serious knee problem, dropped, a drop in category and a recall before he could truly get a chance, making his comeback to enjoy the highlights of his career.

“Joining the setup not expecting to reach the top level but every phase you progress through you’re persisting and you can observe the approach. You make it and … departure is necessary.” He had limited game time in half a dozen appearances between his first game and that period. “Then I was sent to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. A few matches with them and I suffered the ACL injury.

“A severe disappointment but In retrospect as a turning point because it shifted the outlook. Recovering from a long-term injury is challenging, but it’s beneficial. You cultivate routines you didn’t have. Previously I was casual, but I did the sessions and then head home, typical youth behavior. At the complex, all resources are available, so do everything. Practice, prevention. Get in the gym. If your hips aren’t balanced, correct it. If your ankles are a 10, enhance it further. All the minor details: perform them.

“Among professionals you’re going to collide with opponents who have been in battles countless occasions. Extremely powerful. Reviewing old images: I had slender legs. Injuries are inevitable. Current photos and the improvement is clear. The setback taught me. Sessions end, but additional work remains. Everyone else is ready, really ready; the same applies.”

You also have to play. The striker moved upset in the pandemic season, at 23 years old, dropping into the second division. At Sabadell in that season, he netted three goals in 40 games. With Amorebieta in the second half of 2021-22, the goals started to flow. “It’s a common path: transfers, releases. If you turn it round, dedication, confidence, and if one day a vacancy arises where you play, recall is possible. You have to be ready. Upon the recall, it was a dream come true. To then win the Copa del Rey, compete continentally, and qualify for Europe’s top tier … pfff.”

Little surprise he states this is to be enjoyed. All the more so after the previous season which, sometimes, was about endurance. Previously the main threat with sixteen goals, he managed seven in {15 games more|additional matches|