‘All those silly things – do them’: The striker’s road from injury table to goals with Athletic Bilbao
Whenhe first time the Athletic striker competed in English soil, an young representing the reserve team against Borussia Mönchengladbach Under-23s at the English ground in fall 2015, he scored. On his next visit he appeared in British turf, against the Black Cats two months later, he netted. Another occasion, against Pep Guardiola’s team six weeks after that, indeed, he repeated the feat. When he returned to Manchester to play against the Red Devils at the sports complex in 2017, he found the back of the net. A spectacular strike, as well. “Truly,” he remarks, “it ranks among my finest I’ve netted.” Therefore the team did what was necessary: they substituted him.
“I became very upset,” the Athletic striker reveals, then chuckling. “I’m sure there’s footage. Our match against United and I performed well. I wasn’t allowed to feature the latter period: my contract wasn’t finalized deal, I was scoring goals, speculation was rife, as you’d expect. I’m unsure regarding Newcastle being interested, but I recall seeing about Man United, standard transfer gossip. I have no idea the validity, but even if they had called, I’d have chosen to stay at Bilbao. I’m fortunate to be here.”
La Real relieve strain with extraordinary derby triumph
At the training ground, the Basque Country, the day’s first practice is set to begin; after it, the short journey to Loiu airport and a further journey to England, now to take on the Magpies in the European elite competition on the upcoming match. Just saying those two words lights him up. It has become a challenging campaign for the club, partly because of the pressures of competing at this level. Defeated late on in the derby on Saturday, they have managed just one win of their last eight matches and lost against Arsenal and the German side in the continental stage. Yet, look at the overall situation, the memorable evenings and future challenges, and he feels a calm gratitude from him.
In the 36 months since he had come back to Athletic, Gorka has been a final four contender in Europe, denied at the last hurdle a domestic final by Manchester United, and has boarded a decades-old barge through the waterway surrounded by a huge crowd after winning the Copa del Rey, the first title in 40 years. Currently he stands as the top goal-getter in the European competition, where they are distinctive and making their first appearance in a long period. “I never imagined this,” he says.
The player believed it challenging enough just to break into the senior squad and he was right. Born to the ex-La Real star Xabi Guruzeta and a dedicated fan at the club that are now his rivals, Gorka is a product of Antiguoko, the San Sebastián club that nurtured Mikel Arteta, the legendary midfielder and Andoni Iraola. He joined Athletic at seventeen but after his first-team bow in August 2018, he suffered a serious knee problem, the cut, a relegation and a call back before he could earn his place, making his comeback to enjoy the highlights of his career.
“Entering the youth system doubting you’ll make the first team but each step you advance through you’re still there and you can notice the proximity. You arrive and then … departure is necessary.” He had limited game time in six games between his first game and early 2019. “Subsequently I returned to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Five, six games with them and I suffered the ACL injury.
“A severe disappointment but In retrospect as something positive because it shifted the perspective. 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 head home, typical youth behavior. At Lezama, all resources are available, so take full advantage. Work, precaution. Strength training. If your hips aren’t balanced, address that. With decent ankle function, make it a 12 or a 14. All those ‘silly things’: do them.
“At the top level you’re going to face physical challenges who have been in battles countless occasions. Extremely powerful. I look at photos of me before: my physique was slight. Thus incidents occur. Look at pictures of me now and the change is dramatic. Injury made me see that. Training finishes, but there’s more to do. Everyone else is ready, really ready; you have to be too.”
Game time is essential. Guruzeta departed emotionally in the pandemic season, in his early twenties, moving to a lower level. During his Sabadell spell in the 20-21 campaign, he scored three times in numerous matches. With Amorebieta in the latter part of the season, the scoring picked up. “It’s a common path: loans, terminated contracts. With a turnaround, effort, faith, and if one day a vacancy arises where you play, a return could happen. Readiness is vital. When the opportunity came, it was a dream come true. To then win the Copa del Rey, European football, and qualify for Europe’s top tier … pfff.”
Little surprise he states this is to be enjoyed. All the more so after last year which, at times, was about endurance. From top scorer with sixteen goals, his output dropped to seven in {15 games more|additional matches|