‘All those little things – make sure you do them’: Guruzeta’s journey from gurney to success with Athletic
The first time the Athletic striker played in England, an teenage playing for the youth squad against German opponents at the English ground in September 2015, he found the net. On his next visit he played in the country, against Sunderland following that, he converted. Another occasion, against the Citizens six weeks after that, indeed, he scored again. Upon his comeback to the city 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 one of the best goals I’ve netted.” Thus the club did their duty: he was replaced.
“I became very upset,” the forward admits, then chuckling. “I’m sure there’s footage. We went to play United and I was in fine form. I wasn’t allowed to feature the second half: I was without a signed deal, I kept finding the net, speculation was rife, it’s typical. No confirmation on interest from Newcastle, but I came across reports about the Red Devils, the typical thing. I have no idea the validity, but even if they had called, I would have wanted to stay at the club. It’s a privilege.”
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At Lezama, Bilbao, the early training is about to start; following that, the brief trip to Loiu and another flight to Britain, on this occasion to face Newcastle in the European elite competition on the upcoming match. Uttering the name lights him up. This is proving a challenging campaign for Athletic, partly because of the pressures of competing at this level. Defeated late on in the weekend clash, they have secured just a single victory of their last eight matches and lost against Arsenal and the German side in the continental stage. However, consider the broader view, the memorable evenings and upcoming events, and there’s a kind of quiet appreciation about him.
In the 36 months since he had rejoined the team, Guruzeta has been a semi-final participant, stopped at the gates a final at home by the English giants, and has boarded a decades-old barge along the Nervión river surrounded by a million fans after winning the Copa del Rey, the club’s first trophy in a long wait. Now he is the top goal-getter in the Champions League, where they are countercultural and returning after absence in ten years. “This was beyond my dreams,” he admits.
The player believed it challenging enough just to break into the senior squad and his assessment was correct. Born to the former Real Sociedad player Xabi Guruzeta and a regular attendee at the opposition side, Guruzeta is from the Antiguoko academy, the San Sebastián club that developed the Arsenal manager, the legendary midfielder and the tactician. He signed for Athletic at his teens but after his top-level debut in that summer, he went through a ACL injury, the cut, a relegation and a return before he could finally secure an opportunity, coming back aged 26 to live the best days of the club’s history.
“Joining the setup doubting you’ll make the senior squad but with every stage you progress through you’re persisting 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 half a dozen appearances between his bow and early 2019. “Then I was sent to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Several appearances there and my knee gave way.
“It was a huge blow but I reflect on it as a turning point because it forced me to alter the outlook. The rehabilitation process is difficult, but it helps. You adopt practices new to you. It’s not about neglect, but I attended practice and then go home, as a youngster does. In the facility, all resources are available, so do everything. Practice, prevention. Strength training. Should your hips be uneven, work on that. Assuming ankle mobility is good, make it a 12 or a 14. All the minor details: do them.
“At the top level you’re going to face physical challenges who have crashed into players repeatedly. Highly robust. Reviewing old images: I had slender legs. Thus incidents occur. Current photos and the improvement is clear. The setback taught me. Training finishes, but additional work remains. Everyone else is ready, really ready; the same applies.”
Minutes are crucial. Guruzeta departed in tears in that year, at 23 years old, moving to a lower level. During his Sabadell spell in that season, he netted three goals in 40 games. With Amorebieta in the following period, the goals started to flow. “Players go through it: transfers, releases. Should you reverse it, dedication, confidence, and if one day the requirement appears in your position, a return could happen. Readiness is vital. When the opportunity came, it was a dream come true. To then win the Copa del Rey, play in Europe, and qualify for Europe’s top tier … pfff.”
Understandably he remarks savor the moment. Particularly after the prior campaign which, on occasions, was involved suffering. From top scorer with sixteen goals, last season he got seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
