‘All those silly things – do them’: The striker’s path from injury table to goals with Athletic

The initial occasion the Athletic striker competed in English soil, an teenage appearing for the youth squad against Borussia Mönchengladbach Under-23s at Wycombe’s stadium in fall 2015, he hit the target. On his next visit he took the field in England, against Sunderland weeks after, he netted. Another occasion, against Pep Guardiola’s team soon after, well, he did it once more. When he returned to Manchester to take on Manchester United at Leigh Sports Village in the 2017 season, he scored again. It was a superb volley, too. “Truly,” he remarks, “it’s one of the best goals in my career.” Therefore the team did their duty: they substituted him.

“I got well angry,” the forward says, before breaking into laughter. “Probably there’s a recording. Our match against United and I performed well. I wasn’t allowed to feature the second half: I hadn’t yet signed agreement, goals were flowing, speculation was rife, you know how it is. No confirmation on Newcastle being interested, but I recall seeing about Man United, standard transfer gossip. I’m not certain the validity, but even if they had called, my desire was to remain at the club. I feel lucky to be here.”

La Real relieve strain with extraordinary derby triumph

At Lezama, Bilbao, the early training is set to begin; following that, the brief trip to Loiu and another flight to England, now to take on the Magpies in the Champions League on Wednesday. Uttering the name makes Guruzeta smile. It’s turning out to be a tough year for the club, partially owing to the requirements of being here. Defeated late on in the local rivalry, they have managed just one win of their last eight matches and lost against Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund in European competition. Yet, consider the broader view, the memorable evenings and upcoming events, and a sense of thankful reflection about him.

In the 36 months since he had come back to Athletic, the striker has been a final four contender in Europe, denied at the last hurdle the showpiece event by the English giants, and has ridden an historic vessel through the waterway accompanied by a million fans after securing the Spanish cup, the club’s first trophy in a long wait. Currently he stands as the top goal-getter in the UCL, where they are distinctive and debuting in a decade. “This was beyond my dreams,” he admits.

The player believed it challenging enough just to break into the senior squad and that proved true. Born to the ex-La Real star the former professional and a season ticket holder at the team he now opposes, Guruzeta is from the Antiguoko academy, the local academy that developed the coach, Xabi Alonso and the Bournemouth manager. He joined Athletic at 17 but after his top-level debut in the 2018 season, he experienced a torn cruciate, the cut, a relegation and a call back before he could finally secure an opportunity, making his comeback to live the best days of the club’s history.

“Joining the setup thinking you won’t reach the first team but every phase you advance through you’re persisting and you can notice the proximity. You make it and … departure is necessary.” He played six, nine, five, one, four and 20 minutes in half a dozen appearances between his first game and that period. “Then I was sent to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. A few matches there and I suffered the ACL injury.

“A severe disappointment but In retrospect as something positive because it shifted the outlook. Recovering from a long-term injury is challenging, but it aids growth. You cultivate routines new to you. Previously I was casual, but I would go to training and then go home, as a youngster does. In the facility, you have everything, so utilize it all. Training, prehab. Hit the weights. With hip imbalance, address that. Assuming ankle mobility is good, make it a 12 or a 14. All the minor details: do them.

“Among professionals you’re going to crash into players who have crashed into players repeatedly. Highly robust. Reviewing old images: I had slender legs. So what happens, happens. Look at pictures of me now and the change is dramatic. The setback taught me. Sessions end, but there’s more to do. Peers are prepared, really ready; you have to be too.”

Minutes are crucial. The striker moved in tears in the pandemic season, in his early twenties, dropping into the second division. During his Sabadell spell in 2020-21, he got three strikes in forty appearances. With Amorebieta in the second half of 2021-22, the scoring picked up. “Players go through it: loans, terminated contracts. If you turn it round, dedication, confidence, and should the time come the requirement appears in your position, recall is possible. You have to be ready. When the opportunity came, an aspiration fulfilled. The trophy success, play in Europe, and reach the Champions League … pfff.”

No wonder he says savor the moment. Particularly after the prior campaign which, at times, was involved suffering. From top scorer with sixteen goals, he managed seven in {15 games more|additional matches|