‘Every minor detail – execute them’: The striker’s road from rehabilitation to goals with Athletic Bilbao
The first time the Athletic striker competed in England, an teenage appearing for the youth squad against Borussia Mönchengladbach Under-23s at Adams Park in September 2015, he scored. The second time he played in British turf, against the English side two months later, he converted. His third outing, against the Citizens six weeks after that, well, he scored again. As he revisited to Manchester to take on Manchester United at Leigh Sports Village in 2017, he found the back of the net. A spectacular strike, also. “Actually,” he states, “it’s a top-class goal I’ve ever scored.” So Athletic did what was necessary: they took him off.
“I was furious,” the forward reveals, then chuckling. “I’m sure there’s footage. We went to play United and I was in fine form. They kept me out of the second half: I hadn’t yet signed deal, I kept finding the net, there were lots of rumours, as you’d expect. No confirmation on interest from Newcastle, but I came across reports about Manchester United, the typical thing. I have no idea the validity, but had they contacted me, I would have wanted to stay at Athletic. I feel lucky to be here.”
La Real relieve strain with extraordinary derby triumph
At the facility, the city, the day’s first practice is about to start; post-session, the short journey to Loiu and a further journey to England, on this occasion to play Newcastle in the UCL on midweek. Just saying those two words makes Guruzeta smile. This is proving a challenging campaign for the team, partly because of the pressures of their participation. Losing in stoppage time in the weekend clash, they have managed just one win of their past eight league games and lost against Arsenal and the German side in Europe. Yet, consider the broader view, the big nights he has lived and future challenges, and a sense of thankful reflection within him.
In the 36 months since he had rejoined the team, the striker has been a Europa League semi-finalist, prevented from reaching a domestic final by Manchester United, and has ridden an historic vessel through the waterway surrounded by countless supporters after lifting the trophy, the club’s first trophy in 40 years. He’s now the top goal-getter in the European competition, where they are countercultural and debuting in a decade. “This was beyond my dreams,” he states.
Guruzeta thought it difficult enough just to make the first team and he was right. The son of the ex-La Real star the former professional and a dedicated fan at the club that are now his rivals, Guruzeta is a product of Antiguoko, the Donostiarra team that produced the coach, Xabi Alonso and Andoni Iraola. He signed for Athletic at 17 but after his top-level debut in the 2018 season, he suffered a ACL injury, the cut, a relegation and a call back before he could truly get a chance, coming back aged 26 to experience the peak of the club’s history.
“Entering the youth system doubting you’ll make the first team but with every stage you advance through you’re still there and you can notice the proximity. You get there but … departure is necessary.” He played six, nine, five, one, four and 20 minutes in a handful of matches between his bow and early 2019. “Then I was sent 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. Healing from a serious ailment is challenging, but it’s beneficial. You adopt practices you didn’t have. It’s not about neglect, but I attended practice and then head home, as a youngster does. At the complex, you have everything, so take full advantage. Training, prehab. Strength training. Should your hips be uneven, address that. Assuming ankle mobility is good, enhance it further. Every small aspect: do them.
“At the top level you’re going to face physical challenges who have been in battles 200,000 times. Highly robust. I look at photos of me before: I had slender legs. Thus incidents occur. Look at pictures of me now and the improvement is clear. Injury made me see that. Sessions end, but further effort is needed. Teammates are set, really ready; you have to be too.”
You also have to play. Guruzeta departed upset in that year, in his early twenties, moving to a lower level. With Sabadell in 2020-21, he netted three goals in numerous matches. With Amorebieta in the latter part of the season, the he found his form. “Many experience this: loans, terminated contracts. Should you reverse it, dedication, confidence, and when eventually the requirement appears for your role, a return could happen. You have to be ready. When the opportunity came, a fantasy realized. Lifting the cup, European football, and make the UCL … pfff.”
Little surprise he states this is to be enjoyed. Particularly after the prior campaign which, on occasions, was about endurance. After being leading scorer with 16 in 2023-24, he managed seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
