‘All those little things – make sure you do them’: Guruzeta’s road from rehabilitation to goals with Athletic Bilbao

Thehe initial occasion the Athletic striker competed in the UK, an young representing the youth squad against Borussia Mönchengladbach Under-23s at the English ground in the 2015 season, he found the net. On his next visit he played in British turf, against the English side two months later, he converted. Another occasion, against Pep Guardiola’s team soon after, indeed, he repeated the feat. When he returned to the city to play against the Red Devils at the sports complex in 2017, he scored again. An excellent finish, also. “Truly,” he states, “it ranks among my finest I’ve ever scored.” Therefore the team did their duty: they took him off.

“I was furious,” the forward reveals, then chuckling. “There must be a video somewhere. We traveled to face United and I performed well. They kept me out of the second half: I hadn’t yet signed my contract, goals were flowing, speculation was rife, as you’d expect. No confirmation on the Magpies’ pursuit, but I came across reports about the Red Devils, standard transfer gossip. It’s unclear how true it was, but supposing an offer came, my desire was to remain at Athletic. I’m fortunate to be here.”

La Real relieve strain with extraordinary derby triumph

At Lezama, Bilbao, the early training is about to start; after it, the brief trip to Loiu and another trip to England, this time to take on the Magpies in the European elite competition on the upcoming match. Just saying those two words brings a smile to his face. It’s turning out to be a tough year for the club, partly because of the requirements of being here. Defeated late on in the local rivalry, they have managed just one win of their recent league fixtures and lost against Arsenal and Dortmund in European competition. Yet, look at the overall situation, the major occasions he’s experienced and those that lie ahead, and there’s a kind of quiet appreciation from him.

In the three years since he had rejoined the team, Guruzeta has been a semi-final participant, prevented from reaching a final at home by the English giants, and has boarded a decades-old barge through the waterway accompanied by countless supporters after winning the Copa del Rey, the first title in 40 years. Now he is the club’s leading marksman in the UCL, where they are distinctive and debuting in a decade. “This was beyond my dreams,” he states.

Guruzeta thought it difficult enough just to make the first team and his assessment was correct. The son of the former Real Sociedad player Xabi Guruzeta and a dedicated fan at the club that are now his rivals, the forward is a product of Antiguoko, the Donostiarra team that developed the Arsenal manager, the former star and Andoni Iraola. He joined Athletic at seventeen but after his first-team bow in August 2018, he suffered a ACL injury, the cut, a drop in category and a return before he could finally secure an opportunity, making his comeback to live the best days of their lives.

“Joining the setup not expecting to reach the senior squad but with every stage you go through you’re still there and you can observe the approach. You arrive and then … you have to leave.” He featured briefly in six matches in six games between his bow and February 2019. “Subsequently I returned to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Five, six games at that level and my knee gave way.

“It was a huge blow but I reflect on it as something positive because it forced me to alter the perspective. The rehabilitation process is difficult, but it aids growth. You adopt practices new to you. Previously I was casual, but I would go to training and then go home, like when you’re a kid. At the complex, you have everything, so take full advantage. Training, prehab. Strength training. If your hips aren’t balanced, address that. Assuming ankle mobility is good, enhance it further. All those ‘silly things’: perform them.

“At the top level you’re going to collide with opponents who have experienced contact countless occasions. They’re so strong. Reviewing old images: my physique was slight. Thus incidents occur. Look at pictures of me now and the change is dramatic. The setback taught me. Training finishes, but additional work remains. Everyone else is ready, really ready; the same applies.”

Minutes are crucial. The striker moved in tears in the pandemic season, in his early twenties, joining the second tier. During his Sabadell spell in that season, he netted three goals in 40 games. With Amorebieta in the following period, the scoring picked up. “It’s a common path: transfers, releases. If you turn it round, dedication, confidence, and should the time come a vacancy arises where you play, they might come back for you. Readiness is vital. Upon the recall, an aspiration fulfilled. To then win the Copa del Rey, compete continentally, and qualify for Europe’s top tier … pfff.”

Little surprise he states appreciate the experience. Particularly after the previous season which, at times, was about endurance. After being leading scorer with a high tally, his output dropped to seven in {15 games more|additional matches|