‘Every minor detail – execute them’: Guruzeta’s road from gurney to success with the Basque club
The first time the Spanish forward played in English soil, an young playing for Athletic Bilbao B against Borussia Mönchengladbach Under-23s at the English ground in the 2015 season, he found the net. The second time he appeared in the country, against the Black Cats weeks after, he converted. His third outing, against the Citizens six weeks after that, indeed, he did it once more. Upon his comeback to the northwest to face United at Leigh Sports Village in that year, he scored again. It was a superb volley, also. “In fact,” he remarks, “it ranks among my finest I’ve netted.” Thus the club did what was necessary: they substituted him.
“I was furious,” the attacker says, before breaking into laughter. “I’m sure there’s footage. We went to play United and I was pretty good. They kept me out of the second half: I was without a signed deal, goals were flowing, speculation was rife, as you’d expect. I’m unsure regarding Newcastle being interested, but I came across reports about the Red Devils, standard transfer gossip. I have no idea if it was accurate, but had they contacted me, I would have wanted to stay at Bilbao. It’s a privilege.”
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At the facility, Bilbao, the early training is set to begin; after it, the brief trip to the airport and a further journey to Britain, now to play Newcastle in the European elite competition on Wednesday. Uttering the name brings a smile to his face. This is proving a tough year for the team, due in part to the pressures of their participation. Defeated late on in the derby on Saturday, they have won only one of their last eight matches and lost against Arsenal and Dortmund in European competition. However, look at the overall situation, the major occasions he’s experienced and upcoming events, and there’s a kind of quiet appreciation from him.
In the 36 months since he had come back to Athletic, the striker has been a Europa League semi-finalist, prevented from reaching a domestic final by Manchester United, and has ridden an historic vessel along the Nervión river accompanied by a huge crowd after securing the Spanish cup, the first title in a long wait. He’s now the club’s leading marksman in the UCL, where they are unique and making their first appearance in a long period. “I couldn’t have pictured this,” he states.
The player believed it challenging enough just to make the first team and his assessment was correct. Born to the former Real Sociedad player the former professional and a season ticket holder at the club that are now his rivals, the forward is a graduate of Antiguoko, the San Sebastián club that produced the Arsenal manager, the legendary midfielder and Andoni Iraola. He signed for Athletic at his teens but after his first-team bow in that summer, he suffered a torn cruciate, being released, a drop in category and a call back before he could finally secure an opportunity, making his comeback to live the best days of his career.
“You go into the academy doubting you’ll make the first team but every phase you advance through you’re remaining and you can notice the proximity. You get there but … departure is necessary.” He had limited game time in a handful of matches between his bow and early 2019. “Then I was sent to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. A few matches with them and my knee gave way.
“It was a huge blow but I reflect on it as something positive because it made me change the way I saw things. Healing from a serious ailment is difficult, but it aids growth. You develop habits new to you. Previously I was casual, but I did the sessions and then head home, as a youngster does. At the complex, all resources are available, so utilize it all. Training, prehab. Hit the weights. Should your hips be uneven, correct it. Assuming ankle mobility is good, make it a 12 or a 14. All the minor details: do them.
“In the first team you’re going to collide with opponents who have been in battles 200,000 times. They’re so strong. Seeing previous pictures: I had slender legs. Injuries are inevitable. Present-day images and it’s totally different. Recovery revealed that. Training finishes, but additional work remains. Everyone else is ready, really ready; you have to be too.”
You also have to play. Guruzeta departed in tears in that year, at 23 years old, dropping into the second division. With Sabadell in that season, he got three strikes in 40 games. With Amorebieta in the latter part of the season, the goals started to flow. “It’s a common path: loans, terminated contracts. If you turn it round, work, believe, and if one day they need someone where you play, they might come back for you. You have to be ready. When the opportunity came, an aspiration fulfilled. To then win the Copa del Rey, compete continentally, and make the UCL … pfff.”
Understandably he remarks appreciate the experience. All the more so after the prior campaign which, at times, was focused on persistence. Previously the main threat with 16 in 2023-24, last season he got seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
