‘All those little things – make sure you do them’: The striker’s road from injury table to scoring with the Basque club
Whenhe initial occasion the Spanish forward played in the UK, an 18-year-old playing for the reserve team against German opponents at Adams Park in September 2015, he scored. The second time he took the field in England, against Sunderland following that, he scored. His third outing, against Manchester City soon after, sure enough, he repeated the feat. Upon his comeback to Manchester to play against the Red Devils at the sports complex in the 2017 season, he found the back of the net. A spectacular strike, also. “In fact,” he states, “it’s one of the best goals I’ve ever scored.” Therefore the team did their duty: they substituted him.
“I got well angry,” the Athletic striker says, and then he starts laughing. “Probably there’s a recording. Our match against United and I was pretty good. I wasn’t allowed to feature the latter period: I was without a signed agreement, I was scoring goals, there were lots of rumours, as you’d expect. No confirmation on the Magpies’ pursuit, but I remember reading about Manchester United, the typical thing. I have no idea the validity, but supposing an offer came, my desire was to remain at the club. It’s a privilege.”
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At the facility, the Basque Country, the day’s first practice is about to start; following that, the brief trip to the airport and another flight to the UK, on this occasion to play Newcastle in the Champions League on Wednesday. Just saying those two words brings a smile to his face. It’s turning out to be a tough year for Athletic, partially owing to the requirements of being here. Defeated late on in the derby on Saturday, they have managed just one win of their recent league fixtures and lost against Arsenal and Dortmund in Europe. But, look at the overall situation, the memorable evenings and upcoming events, and a sense of thankful reflection about him.
In the three years since he had returned to the club, Guruzeta has been a Europa League semi-finalist, denied at the last hurdle a final at home by Manchester United, and has ridden an historic vessel up the Nervión estuary flanked by countless supporters after securing the Spanish cup, the team’s initial silverware in four decades. Currently he stands as the top goal-getter in the UCL, where they are countercultural and returning after absence in a decade. “This was beyond my dreams,” he states.
Guruzeta thought it challenging enough just to break into the senior squad and his assessment was correct. As the child of the one-time rival player his father and a dedicated fan at the opposition side, the forward is a product of Antiguoko, the Donostiarra team that nurtured the Arsenal manager, Xabi Alonso and Andoni Iraola. His move to Athletic came at seventeen but after his top-level debut in August 2018, he suffered a ACL injury, being released, a relegation and a return before he could truly get a chance, making his comeback to live the best days of their lives.
“Joining the setup thinking you won’t reach the senior squad but every phase you progress through you’re persisting and you can observe the approach. You get there but … departure is necessary.” He played six, nine, five, one, four and 20 minutes in half a dozen appearances between his debut and early 2019. “And then I go back down to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Several appearances there and I suffered the ACL injury.
“A severe disappointment but I look back on it as a beneficial experience because it made me change the perspective. Healing from a serious ailment is challenging, but it’s beneficial. You cultivate routines previously lacking. It’s not that you don’t look after yourself, but I did the sessions and then go home, typical youth behavior. In the facility, facilities are comprehensive, so do everything. Practice, prevention. Strength training. With hip imbalance, correct it. With decent ankle function, make it a 12 or a 14. Every small aspect: do them.
“Among professionals you’re going to crash into players who have been in battles repeatedly. Highly robust. Seeing previous pictures: my legs are chicken legs. Injuries are inevitable. Present-day images and the improvement is clear. Injury made me see that. Training finishes, but additional work remains. Everyone else is ready, really ready; no exceptions.”
You also have to play. He left upset in that year, in his early twenties, joining the second tier. At Sabadell in that season, he got three strikes in numerous matches. During his Amorebieta stint in the second half of 2021-22, the goals started to flow. “Players go through it: temporary moves, ended deals. If you turn it round, effort, faith, and if one day a vacancy arises where you play, they might come back for you. Preparation is key. When they decided to call again, an aspiration fulfilled. To then win the Copa del Rey, European football, and make the UCL … pfff.”
No wonder he says savor the moment. All the more so after last year which, at times, was about endurance. Previously the main threat with 16 in 2023-24, his output dropped to seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
