‘All those little things – make sure you do them’: The striker’s journey from injury table to goals with Athletic Bilbao
Whenhe first time the Spanish forward featured in England, an young representing the youth squad against Borussia Mönchengladbach Under-23s at Wycombe’s stadium in September 2015, he hit the target. During his subsequent match he played in the country, against Sunderland two months later, he netted. The third time, against Pep Guardiola’s team soon after, well, he repeated the feat. Upon his comeback to the northwest to take on Manchester United at Leigh’s ground in 2017, he found the back of the net. An excellent finish, also. “Actually,” he remarks, “it’s a top-class goal I’ve netted.” Thus the club did their duty: he was replaced.
“I became very upset,” the attacker reveals, 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: my contract wasn’t finalized my contract, I kept finding the net, there were lots of rumours, it’s typical. No confirmation on Newcastle being interested, but I recall seeing about Man United, the usual talk. I have no idea if it was accurate, but even if they had called, I’d have chosen to stay at Bilbao. I feel lucky to be here.”
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At the facility, the Basque Country, the early training is about to start; following that, the quick travel to Loiu and another flight to the UK, on this occasion to play Newcastle in the UCL on midweek. Just saying those two words lights him up. It’s turning out to be a challenging campaign for Athletic, partially owing to the requirements of being here. Losing in stoppage time in the local rivalry, they have secured just a single victory of their last eight matches and fallen to the Gunners and the German side in the continental stage. Yet, consider the broader view, the memorable evenings and those that lie ahead, and a sense of thankful reflection within him.
In the three years since he had come back to Athletic, the striker has been a final four contender in Europe, prevented from reaching the showpiece event by Manchester United, and has boarded a decades-old barge up the Nervión estuary accompanied by countless supporters after lifting the trophy, the team’s initial silverware in 40 years. Now he is the club’s leading marksman in the European competition, where they are countercultural and returning after absence in a long period. “This was beyond my dreams,” he admits.
Guruzeta thought it difficult enough just to earn a spot and he was right. As the child of the former Real Sociedad player Xabi Guruzeta and a regular attendee at the club that are now his rivals, the forward is from the Antiguoko academy, the San Sebastián club that nurtured Mikel Arteta, the former star and the tactician. He joined Athletic at his teens but after his top-level debut in August 2018, he experienced a serious knee problem, the cut, a drop in category and a return before he could earn his place, returning at 26 to experience the peak of his career.
“You go into the academy not expecting to reach the first team but each step you advance through you’re remaining and you can notice the proximity. You arrive and then … you’re sent away.” He played six, nine, five, one, four and 20 minutes in a handful of matches between his bow and early 2019. “And then I go back down to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Five, six games with them and my knee gave way.
“It was a huge blow but I look back on it as a beneficial experience because it forced me to alter the way I saw things. Recovering from a long-term injury is difficult, but it helps. You cultivate routines you didn’t have. Previously I was casual, but I did the sessions and then return home, as a youngster does. At Lezama, you have everything, so utilize it all. Practice, prevention. Strength training. With hip imbalance, address that. If your ankles are a 10, enhance it further. Every small aspect: execute them.
“At the top level you’re going to face physical challenges who have been in battles repeatedly. They’re so strong. I look at photos of me before: my physique was slight. So what happens, happens. Present-day images and the improvement is clear. Injury made me see that. Sessions end, but additional work remains. Everyone else is ready, really ready; you have to be too.”
Game time is essential. Guruzeta departed upset in 2020, in his early twenties, dropping into the second division. At Sabadell in the 20-21 campaign, he netted three goals in forty appearances. With Amorebieta in the following period, the goals started to flow. “It’s a common path: temporary moves, ended deals. With a turnaround, dedication, confidence, and when eventually the requirement appears for your role, they might come back for you. You have to be ready. When the opportunity came, a fantasy realized. The trophy success, play in Europe, and qualify for Europe’s top tier … pfff.”
Understandably he remarks this is to be enjoyed. Particularly after the prior campaign which, sometimes, was involved suffering. After being leading scorer with 16 in 2023-24, last season he got seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
