‘All those silly things – do them’: Guruzeta’s road from gurney to goals with the Basque club
The debut appearance the Athletic striker played in England, an teenage representing the youth squad against German opponents at the English ground in September 2015, he hit the target. The second time he played in the country, against Sunderland following that, he scored. The third time, against the Citizens not long later, well, he repeated the feat. As he revisited to Manchester to play against the Red Devils at the sports complex in 2017, he scored again. An excellent finish, as well. “Truly,” he states, “it’s a top-class goal I’ve ever scored.” Thus the club did what they had to do: they substituted him.
“I got well angry,” the attacker admits, then chuckling. “There must be a video somewhere. Our match against United and I was in fine form. They didn’t let me play the final 45 minutes: I was without a signed my contract, I was scoring goals, there were lots of rumours, you know how it is. I’m unsure regarding Newcastle being interested, but I recall seeing about Manchester United, the usual talk. It’s unclear how true it was, but even if they had called, I would have wanted to stay at Bilbao. It’s a privilege.”
La Real relieve strain with extraordinary derby triumph
At Lezama, the Basque Country, the early training is ready to commence; post-session, the quick travel to Loiu and another trip to the UK, this time to take on the Magpies in the European elite competition on Wednesday. Mentioning that phrase makes Guruzeta smile. It has become a challenging campaign for the team, due in part to the pressures of competing at this level. Losing in stoppage time in the weekend clash, they have managed just one win of their last eight matches and fallen to the Gunners and Dortmund in Europe. Yet, look at the overall situation, the big nights he has lived and those that lie ahead, and there’s a kind of quiet appreciation about him.
In the the period since he had come back to Athletic, the striker has been a final four contender in Europe, stopped at the gates the showpiece event by Manchester United, and has boarded a decades-old barge up the Nervión estuary surrounded by a huge crowd after winning the Copa del Rey, the club’s first trophy in four decades. Now he is the top goal-getter in the European competition, where they are unique and making their first appearance in a long period. “I never imagined this,” he admits.
Guruzeta thought it hard enough just to make the first team and that proved true. Born to the one-time rival player his father and a regular attendee at the opposition side, the forward is from the Antiguoko academy, the local academy that produced the coach, the legendary midfielder and the Bournemouth manager. His move to Athletic came at seventeen but after making his senior debut in August 2018, he suffered a serious knee problem, the cut, a relegation and a recall before he could earn his place, returning at 26 to experience the peak of his career.
“Entering the youth system doubting you’ll make the first team but each step you go through you’re still there and you can observe the approach. You make it and … you’re sent away.” He played six, nine, five, one, four and 20 minutes in a handful of matches between his debut and that period. “Then I was sent to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Several appearances at that level and my knee gave way.
“A massive setback but I look back on it as a turning point because it made me change the outlook. Healing from a serious ailment is difficult, but it aids growth. You develop habits you didn’t have. It’s not that you don’t look after yourself, but I attended practice and then return home, typical youth behavior. At Lezama, you have everything, so do everything. Training, prehab. Strength training. With hip imbalance, work on that. Assuming ankle mobility is good, improve it more. Every small aspect: perform them.
“At the top level you’re going to collide with opponents who have been in battles repeatedly. They’re so strong. Seeing previous pictures: my physique was slight. Thus incidents occur. Current photos and the improvement is clear. Recovery revealed that. Practice concludes, but additional work remains. Peers are prepared, really ready; the same applies.”
You also have to play. The striker moved upset in 2020, aged 23, dropping into the second division. At Sabadell in the 20-21 campaign, he netted three goals in 40 games. With Amorebieta in the second half of 2021-22, the he found his form. “It’s a common path: loans, terminated contracts. Should you reverse it, work, believe, and when eventually a vacancy arises for your role, a return could happen. You have to be ready. When they decided to call again, it was a dream come true. The trophy success, compete continentally, and qualify for Europe’s top tier … pfff.”
Little surprise he states this is to be enjoyed. Particularly after the previous season which, sometimes, was involved suffering. From top scorer with 16 in 2023-24, his output dropped to seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
