‘All those silly things – do them’: Guruzeta’s journey from gurney to scoring with the Basque club
Whenhe initial occasion Gorka Guruzeta competed in the UK, an 18-year-old representing the youth squad against Borussia Mönchengladbach Under-23s at the English ground in September 2015, he found the net. The second time he took the field in British turf, against the English side two months later, he converted. His third outing, against Manchester City not long later, indeed, he scored again. As he revisited to the city to face United at Leigh’s ground in the 2017 season, he scored again. A spectacular strike, as well. “In fact,” he remarks, “it’s one of the best goals I’ve netted.” Therefore the team did what was necessary: he was replaced.
“I became very upset,” the attacker admits, before breaking into laughter. “Probably there’s a recording. We traveled to face United and I performed well. I wasn’t allowed to feature the second half: I hadn’t yet signed agreement, I was scoring goals, many stories circulated, you know how it is. No confirmation on Newcastle being interested, but I recall seeing about Manchester United, standard transfer gossip. I have no idea how true it was, but had they contacted me, I’d have chosen to stay at Athletic. I feel lucky to be here.”
Real Sociedad release pressure with surreal victory in Basque derby like no other
At the facility, the city, the day’s first practice is about to start; after it, the quick travel to the airport and another trip to England, on this occasion to play Newcastle in the Champions League on the upcoming match. Mentioning that phrase lights him up. This is proving a challenging campaign for the club, due in part to the pressures of being here. Beaten in added time in the weekend clash, they have secured just a single victory of their past eight league games and lost against Arsenal and Dortmund in Europe. Yet, look at the overall situation, the big nights he has lived and upcoming events, and he feels a calm gratitude about him.
In the the period since he had returned to the club, Gorka has been a semi-final participant, denied at the last hurdle a final at home by United, and has boarded a decades-old barge along the Nervión river flanked by a huge crowd after winning the Copa del Rey, the team’s initial silverware in 40 years. Currently he stands as the top goal-getter in the UCL, where they are unique and making their first appearance in ten years. “I never imagined this,” he says.
The player believed it challenging enough just to earn a spot and he was right. As the child of the former Real Sociedad player Xabi Guruzeta and a season ticket holder at the club that are now his rivals, Guruzeta is from the Antiguoko academy, the Donostiarra team that developed the coach, the former star and the Bournemouth manager. His move to Athletic came at 17 but after his top-level debut in August 2018, he experienced a serious knee problem, being released, a drop in category and a call back before he could truly get a chance, coming back aged 26 to experience the peak of his career.
“Joining the setup doubting you’ll make the first team but each step you go through you’re persisting and you can observe the approach. You get there but … departure is necessary.” He had limited game time in six games between his debut and February 2019. “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 I look back on it as a beneficial experience because it shifted the perspective. Recovering from a long-term injury is difficult, but it aids growth. You develop habits previously lacking. Previously I was casual, but I would go to training and then go home, like when you’re a kid. At Lezama, facilities are comprehensive, so take full advantage. Training, prehab. Strength training. If your hips aren’t balanced, work on that. Assuming ankle mobility is good, improve it more. All the minor details: perform them.
“Among professionals you’re going to collide with opponents who have experienced contact countless occasions. Highly robust. Reviewing old images: my legs are chicken legs. Injuries are inevitable. Present-day images and it’s totally different. Injury made me see that. Practice concludes, but further effort is needed. Peers are prepared, really ready; the same applies.”
Minutes are crucial. The striker moved in tears in 2020, in his early twenties, dropping into the second division. With Sabadell in 2020-21, he scored three times in numerous matches. With Amorebieta in the following period, the he found his form. “It’s a common path: transfers, releases. If you turn it round, work, believe, and when eventually they need someone for your role, recall is possible. Preparation is key. When they decided to call again, an aspiration fulfilled. The trophy success, play in Europe, and make the UCL … pfff.”
No wonder he says savor the moment. Especially after the prior campaign which, sometimes, was involved suffering. Previously the main threat with sixteen goals, last season he got seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
