‘All those little things – make sure you do them’: The striker’s path from gurney to scoring with Athletic Bilbao

The debut appearance Gorka Guruzeta played in England, an young appearing for Athletic Bilbao B against German opponents at Adams Park in fall 2015, he hit the target. On his next visit he played in the country, against Sunderland following that, he converted. Another occasion, against Manchester City six weeks after that, well, he repeated the feat. When he returned to Manchester to take on Manchester United at Leigh’s ground in 2017, he found the back of the net. It was a superb volley, as well. “In fact,” he remarks, “it’s a top-class goal I’ve ever scored.” Thus the club did what they had to do: they took him off.

“I became very upset,” the attacker says, before breaking into laughter. “Probably there’s a recording. We traveled to face United and I was pretty good. I wasn’t allowed to feature the second half: I hadn’t yet signed agreement, I kept finding the net, there were lots of rumours, you know how it is. I’m unsure regarding the Magpies’ pursuit, but I recall seeing about the Red Devils, the typical thing. It’s unclear how true it was, but had they contacted me, my desire was to remain at Bilbao. I feel lucky to be here.”

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At the facility, the city, the early training is ready to commence; post-session, the short journey to Loiu airport and a further journey to the UK, now to take on the Magpies in the Champions League on Wednesday. Just saying those two words makes Guruzeta smile. It has become a challenging campaign for the team, partially owing to the demands of competing at this level. Defeated late on in the weekend clash, they have managed just one win of their last eight matches and fallen to the Gunners and Borussia Dortmund in Europe. However, look at the overall situation, 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 final four contender in Europe, denied at the last hurdle the showpiece event by Manchester United, and has ridden an historic vessel along the Nervión river accompanied by a million fans after lifting the trophy, the team’s initial silverware in 40 years. Currently he stands as the club’s leading marksman in the European competition, where they are unique and returning after absence in a long period. “I couldn’t have pictured this,” he admits.

The player believed it hard enough just to make the first team and his assessment was correct. Born to the one-time rival player the former professional and a season ticket holder at the opposition side, Gorka is from the Antiguoko academy, the local academy that developed the Arsenal manager, the former star and Andoni Iraola. He joined Athletic at his teens but after his top-level debut in August 2018, he experienced a serious knee problem, dropped, a demotion and a recall before he could earn his place, making his comeback to live the best days of his career.

“You go into the academy not expecting to reach the first team but each step you go through you’re persisting and you can notice the proximity. You make it and … you’re sent away.” He featured briefly in six matches in six games between his debut and February 2019. “Then I was sent to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. A few matches at that level and I suffered the ACL injury.

“A massive setback but I reflect on it as a turning point because it made me change the outlook. Recovering from a long-term injury is hard, but it aids growth. You cultivate routines you didn’t have. Previously I was casual, but I did the sessions and then return home, typical youth behavior. At the complex, facilities are comprehensive, so take full advantage. Training, prehab. Get in the gym. If your hips aren’t balanced, address that. With decent ankle function, enhance it further. Every small aspect: execute them.

“In the first team you’re going to crash into players who have experienced contact repeatedly. Extremely powerful. Reviewing old images: I had slender legs. Injuries are inevitable. Present-day images and it’s totally different. Recovery revealed that. Practice concludes, but additional work remains. Peers are prepared, really ready; the same applies.”

You also have to play. The striker moved upset in that year, aged 23, dropping into the second division. At Sabadell in 2020-21, he netted three goals in 40 games. During his Amorebieta stint in the second half of 2021-22, the scoring picked up. “It’s a common path: transfers, releases. If you turn it round, work, believe, and when eventually the requirement appears in your position, they might come back for you. Preparation is key. When they decided to call again, an aspiration fulfilled. The trophy success, play in Europe, and qualify for Europe’s top tier … pfff.”

Understandably he remarks savor the moment. Particularly after last year which, sometimes, was focused on persistence. After being leading scorer with a high tally, last season he got seven in {15 games more|additional matches|