‘All those silly things – do them’: Guruzeta’s journey from injury table to success with Athletic
Whenhe first time the Spanish forward played in England, an 18-year-old playing for the reserve team against Borussia Mönchengladbach Under-23s at Adams Park in the 2015 season, he hit the target. During his subsequent match he appeared in British turf, against the Black Cats following that, he netted. The third time, against the Citizens not long later, well, he did it once more. When he returned to the northwest to play against the Red Devils at the sports complex in 2017, he found the back of the net. A spectacular strike, as well. “Actually,” he says, “it’s one of the best goals I’ve netted.” So Athletic did what was necessary: they took him off.
“I got well angry,” the forward reveals, then chuckling. “There must be a video somewhere. Our match against United and I was pretty good. I wasn’t allowed to feature the second half: I was without a signed agreement, goals were flowing, many stories circulated, it’s typical. I don’t know about the Magpies’ pursuit, but I came across reports about the Red Devils, standard transfer gossip. It’s unclear if it was accurate, but even if they had called, I’d have chosen to stay at Athletic. I’m fortunate to be here.”
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At Lezama, Bilbao, the day’s first practice is set to begin; after it, the quick travel to Loiu airport and another trip to Britain, now to face Newcastle in the UCL on midweek. Uttering the name brings a smile to his face. It has become a challenging campaign for the club, partially owing to the pressures of competing at this level. Beaten in added time in the local rivalry, they have managed just one win of their recent league fixtures and lost against Arsenal and the German side in European competition. However, look at the overall situation, the memorable evenings and future challenges, and a sense of thankful reflection about him.
In the three years since he had come back to Athletic, Guruzeta has been a final four contender in Europe, prevented from reaching the showpiece event by Manchester United, and has ridden an historic vessel through the waterway flanked by a million fans after lifting the trophy, the team’s initial silverware in four decades. Currently he stands as Athletic’s top scorer in the Champions League, where they are distinctive and returning after absence in ten years. “This was beyond my dreams,” he states.
He considered it difficult enough just to earn a spot and he was right. The son of the former Real Sociedad player Xabi Guruzeta and a regular attendee at the team he now opposes, Guruzeta is a graduate of Antiguoko, the local academy that produced the Arsenal manager, the former star and Andoni Iraola. He joined Athletic at 17 but after his top-level debut in that summer, he suffered a serious knee problem, the cut, a relegation and a call back before he could earn his place, returning at 26 to live the best days of their lives.
“You go into the academy thinking you won’t reach the senior squad but every phase you advance through you’re still there and you can notice the proximity. You make it and … you’re sent away.” He featured briefly in six matches in six games between his bow and early 2019. “Subsequently I returned to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. A few matches at that level and I tear my cruciate.
“A massive setback but I reflect on it as a turning point because it forced me to alter the way I saw things. Healing from a serious ailment is challenging, but it helps. You adopt practices previously lacking. It’s not that you don’t look after yourself, but I would go to training and then return home, like when you’re a kid. At the complex, facilities are comprehensive, so do everything. Practice, prevention. Get in the gym. If your hips aren’t balanced, work on that. Assuming ankle mobility is good, improve it more. Every small aspect: perform them.
“In the first team you’re going to collide with opponents who have crashed into players repeatedly. Extremely powerful. Seeing previous pictures: I had slender legs. Injuries are inevitable. Present-day images and the change is dramatic. Injury made me see that. Practice concludes, but further effort is needed. Peers are prepared, really ready; you have to be too.”
Minutes are crucial. He left emotionally in the pandemic season, in his early twenties, moving to a lower level. With Sabadell in the 20-21 campaign, he scored three times in 40 games. With Amorebieta in the second half of 2021-22, the he found his form. “It’s a common path: temporary moves, ended deals. If you turn it round, effort, faith, and should the time come a vacancy arises where you play, a return could happen. Readiness is vital. When they decided to call again, it was a dream come true. The trophy success, compete continentally, and make the UCL … pfff.”
Understandably he remarks savor the moment. Especially after the prior campaign which, on occasions, was involved suffering. Previously the main threat with a high tally, last season he got seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
