‘All those silly things – do them’: The striker’s journey from gurney to success with Athletic Bilbao

The initial occasion the Athletic striker featured in England, an teenage representing the youth squad against German opponents at the English ground in fall 2015, he scored. On his next visit he took the field in England, against the Black Cats weeks after, he converted. The third time, against Manchester City soon after, well, he scored again. As he revisited to the city to take on Manchester United at the sports complex in the 2017 season, he scored again. An excellent finish, also. “Truly,” he states, “it’s one of the best goals I’ve netted.” Therefore the team did their duty: he was replaced.

“I got well angry,” the attacker says, and then he starts laughing. “Probably there’s a recording. Our match against United and I was pretty good. They kept me out of the second half: I hadn’t yet signed my contract, I kept finding the net, speculation was rife, as you’d expect. I don’t know about Newcastle being interested, but I recall seeing about Manchester United, standard transfer gossip. I have no idea if it was accurate, but had they contacted me, my desire was to remain at the club. I feel lucky to be here.”

Real Sociedad ease tension with bizarre win in unique Basque clash

At Lezama, the Basque Country, the early training is ready to commence; post-session, the quick travel to Loiu airport and another flight to the UK, now to play Newcastle in the European elite competition on Wednesday. Just saying those two words brings a smile to his face. It has become a challenging campaign for the club, partially owing to the demands of being here. Losing in stoppage time in the derby on Saturday, they have secured just a single victory of their recent league fixtures and been defeated by Arsenal and the German side in European competition. Yet, consider the broader view, the big nights he has lived and upcoming events, and he feels a calm gratitude about him.

In the three years since he had returned to the club, the striker has been a final four contender in Europe, prevented from reaching a final at home by Manchester United, and has traveled on a traditional boat up the Nervión estuary flanked by countless supporters after securing the Spanish cup, the club’s first trophy in a long wait. Currently he stands as Athletic’s top scorer in the European competition, where they are unique and making their first appearance in a decade. “I never imagined this,” he says.

Guruzeta thought it hard enough just to earn a spot and his assessment was correct. As the child of the former Real Sociedad player the former professional and a regular attendee at the club that are now his rivals, Gorka is a graduate of Antiguoko, the local academy that developed the coach, Xabi Alonso and Andoni Iraola. His move to Athletic came at his teens but after his first-team bow in August 2018, he experienced a ACL injury, the cut, a drop in category and a call back before he could finally secure an opportunity, coming back aged 26 to enjoy the highlights of his career.

“You go into the academy doubting you’ll make the top level but every phase you go through you’re remaining and you can notice the proximity. You get there but … you’re sent away.” He had limited game time in six games between his debut and that period. “And then I go back down to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Several appearances with them and my knee gave way.

“A massive setback but In retrospect as something positive because it shifted the outlook. Healing from a serious ailment is challenging, but it’s beneficial. You cultivate routines you didn’t have. It’s not that you don’t look after yourself, but I would go to training and then head home, as a youngster does. At the complex, all resources are available, so utilize it all. Practice, prevention. Get in the gym. Should your hips be uneven, work on that. Assuming ankle mobility is good, make it a 12 or a 14. Every small aspect: perform them.

“Among professionals you’re going to face physical challenges who have been in battles repeatedly. Extremely powerful. I look at photos of me before: my legs are chicken legs. Thus incidents occur. Current photos and the change is dramatic. Injury made me see that. Practice concludes, but there’s more to do. Everyone else is ready, really ready; no exceptions.”

Minutes are crucial. Guruzeta departed emotionally in the pandemic season, in his early twenties, dropping into the second division. With Sabadell in the 20-21 campaign, he netted three goals in numerous matches. At Amorebieta in the latter part of the season, the scoring picked up. “It’s a common path: loans, terminated contracts. If you turn it round, effort, faith, and when eventually a vacancy arises where you play, recall is possible. Readiness is vital. When the opportunity came, it was a dream come true. To then win the Copa del Rey, European football, and reach the Champions League … pfff.”

Understandably he remarks this is to be enjoyed. All the more so after the prior campaign which, sometimes, was focused on persistence. From top scorer with 16 in 2023-24, last season he got seven in {15 games more|additional matches|