‘Every minor detail – execute them’: The striker’s path from gurney to goals with the Basque club
The first time Gorka Guruzeta competed in the UK, an teenage representing the reserve team against Bundesliga youth at the English ground in the 2015 season, he scored. The second time he played in England, against Sunderland following that, he converted. The third time, against Manchester City soon after, well, he repeated the feat. As he revisited to the northwest to play against the Red Devils at Leigh’s ground in the 2017 season, he scored again. A spectacular strike, also. “In fact,” he remarks, “it’s one of the best goals in my career.” Thus the club did their duty: he was replaced.
“I became very upset,” the attacker admits, before breaking into laughter. “There must be a video somewhere. We went to play United and I was pretty good. They didn’t let me play the latter period: my contract wasn’t finalized agreement, I was scoring goals, there were lots of rumours, it’s typical. I don’t know about the Magpies’ pursuit, but I recall seeing about Man United, the usual talk. I’m not certain how true it was, but supposing an offer came, I’d have chosen to stay at the club. I’m fortunate to be here.”
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At Lezama, the city, the morning session is about to start; following that, the short journey to the airport and a further journey to England, on this occasion to take on the Magpies in the European elite competition on Wednesday. Just saying those two words makes Guruzeta smile. It’s turning out to be a tough year for the club, due in part to the requirements of their participation. Beaten in added time in the derby on Saturday, they have won only one of their last eight matches and been defeated by Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund in the continental stage. But, consider the broader view, the major occasions he’s experienced and future challenges, and he feels a calm gratitude about him.
In the 36 months since he had come back to Athletic, Gorka has been a Europa League semi-finalist, prevented from reaching a final at home by the English giants, and has traveled on a traditional boat up the Nervión estuary accompanied by countless supporters after securing the Spanish cup, the first title in four decades. Now he is the club’s leading marksman in the UCL, where they are countercultural and making their first appearance in a decade. “I never imagined this,” he states.
The player believed it challenging enough just to make the first team and his assessment was correct. The son of the ex-La Real star the former professional and a regular attendee at the team he now opposes, Guruzeta is a graduate of Antiguoko, the San Sebastián club that produced Mikel Arteta, the former star and Andoni Iraola. He signed for Athletic at 17 but after his first-team bow in the 2018 season, he experienced a serious knee problem, dropped, a demotion and a recall before he could truly get a chance, returning at 26 to live the best days of his career.
“Entering the youth system thinking you won’t reach the top level but with every stage you go through you’re persisting and you can notice the proximity. You arrive and then … you have to leave.” He had limited game time in a handful of matches between his first game and February 2019. “Subsequently I returned to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Several appearances there and my knee gave way.
“A massive setback but I reflect on it as something positive because it shifted the way I saw things. The rehabilitation process is difficult, but it aids growth. You adopt practices you didn’t have. It’s not about neglect, but I would go to training and then return home, typical youth behavior. At the complex, you have everything, so take full advantage. Training, prehab. Strength training. With hip imbalance, correct it. Assuming ankle mobility is good, make it a 12 or a 14. Every small aspect: execute them.
“In the first team you’re going to crash into players who have crashed into players countless occasions. They’re so strong. I look at photos of me before: my physique was slight. Thus incidents occur. Present-day images and the improvement is clear. Recovery revealed that. Practice concludes, but further effort is needed. Everyone else is ready, really ready; the same applies.”
You also have to play. The striker moved emotionally in the pandemic season, in his early twenties, moving to a lower level. With Sabadell in the 20-21 campaign, he netted three goals in 40 games. During his Amorebieta stint in the following period, the scoring picked up. “It’s a common path: temporary moves, ended deals. If you turn it round, effort, faith, and if one day the requirement appears for your role, they might come back for you. Preparation is key. When the opportunity came, a fantasy realized. To then win the Copa del Rey, European football, and make the UCL … pfff.”
No wonder he says this is to be enjoyed. All the more so after the prior campaign which, sometimes, was about endurance. From top scorer with sixteen goals, last season he got seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
