‘All those little things – make sure you do them’: The striker’s path from gurney to success with Athletic
Whenhe first time the Spanish forward featured in English soil, an 18-year-old appearing for the reserve team against German opponents at Wycombe’s stadium in the 2015 season, he found the net. During his subsequent match he appeared in the country, against the English side two months later, he netted. Another occasion, against the Citizens soon after, well, he scored again. Upon his comeback to the city to play against the Red Devils at Leigh Sports Village in the 2017 season, he found the back of the net. A spectacular strike, also. “Truly,” he states, “it ranks among my finest I’ve ever scored.” Thus the club did what they had to do: they substituted him.
“I got well angry,” the attacker reveals, then chuckling. “There must be a video somewhere. We went to play United and I was in fine form. They didn’t let me play the second half: I was without a signed agreement, goals were flowing, there were lots of rumours, it’s typical. I’m unsure regarding the Magpies’ pursuit, but I recall seeing about Manchester United, standard transfer gossip. I have no idea if it was accurate, but had they contacted me, I’d have chosen to stay at the club. It’s a privilege.”
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At the training ground, the city, the morning session is ready to commence; after it, the quick travel to the airport and another trip to England, this time to play Newcastle in the Champions League on Wednesday. Uttering the name brings a smile to his face. It’s turning out to be a challenging campaign for Athletic, due in part to the demands of competing at this level. Beaten in added time in the local rivalry, they have won only one of their recent league fixtures and lost against Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund in Europe. Yet, look at the overall situation, the memorable evenings and those that lie ahead, and a sense of thankful reflection from him.
In the the period since he had returned to the club, the striker 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 accompanied by countless supporters after lifting the trophy, the first title in four decades. Now he is the top goal-getter in the Champions League, where they are distinctive and debuting in a decade. “This was beyond my dreams,” he states.
Guruzeta thought it hard enough just to make the first team and that proved true. The son of the former Real Sociedad player his father and a dedicated fan at the club that are now his rivals, the forward is a product of Antiguoko, the local academy that developed Mikel Arteta, the former star and the tactician. His move to Athletic came at seventeen but after making his senior debut in August 2018, he went through a serious knee problem, the cut, a drop in category and a recall before he could truly get a chance, coming back aged 26 to experience the peak of the club’s history.
“Entering the youth system not expecting to reach the senior squad but with every stage you advance through you’re persisting and you can notice the proximity. You make it and … departure is necessary.” He had limited game time in a handful of matches between his bow and February 2019. “Subsequently I returned to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Five, six games at that level and I suffered the ACL injury.
“It was a huge blow but I reflect on it as a turning point because it made me change the way I saw things. Recovering from a long-term injury is difficult, but it helps. You adopt practices new to you. It’s not about neglect, but I would go to training and then head home, like when you’re a kid. In the facility, facilities are comprehensive, so utilize it all. Training, prehab. Hit the weights. With hip imbalance, correct it. If your ankles are a 10, make it a 12 or a 14. All those ‘silly things’: perform them.
“At the top level you’re going to collide with opponents who have experienced contact repeatedly. They’re so strong. Reviewing old images: my physique was slight. Thus incidents occur. Current photos and the change is dramatic. The setback taught me. Training finishes, but further effort is needed. Teammates are set, really ready; you have to be too.”
You also have to play. He left upset in 2020, in his early twenties, moving to a lower level. At Sabadell in the 20-21 campaign, he scored three times in 40 games. With Amorebieta in the latter part of the season, the scoring picked up. “It’s a common path: temporary moves, ended deals. Should you reverse it, effort, faith, and should the time come the requirement appears where you play, recall is possible. You have to be ready. Upon the recall, a fantasy realized. To then win the Copa del Rey, compete continentally, and reach the Champions League … pfff.”
No wonder he says this is to be enjoyed. All the more so after the previous season which, on occasions, was focused on persistence. From top scorer with a high tally, he managed seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
