‘Every minor detail – execute them’: Guruzeta’s path from gurney to success with the Basque club
The initial occasion the Spanish forward played in the UK, an 18-year-old appearing for the youth squad against Bundesliga youth at the English ground in September 2015, he found the net. On his next visit he played in England, against the Black Cats two months later, he converted. The third time, against Pep Guardiola’s team soon after, sure enough, he did it once more. As he revisited to the city to play against the Red Devils at the sports complex in that year, he found the back of the net. It was a superb volley, too. “Truly,” he says, “it’s one of the best goals I’ve ever scored.” So Athletic did what was necessary: they took him off.
“I got well angry,” the attacker admits, before breaking into laughter. “I’m sure there’s footage. We traveled to face United and I was in fine form. They kept me out of the second half: I hadn’t yet signed deal, I kept finding the net, many stories circulated, it’s typical. I don’t know about the Magpies’ pursuit, but I remember reading about Man United, the typical thing. It’s unclear how true it was, but even if they had called, I’d have chosen to stay at the club. It’s a privilege.”
La Real relieve strain with extraordinary derby triumph
At Lezama, the city, the early training is set to begin; after it, the quick travel to the airport and another flight to Britain, on this occasion to play Newcastle in the Champions League on the upcoming match. Mentioning that phrase brings a smile to his face. It has become a challenging campaign for the club, partly because of the requirements of competing at this level. Defeated late on in the weekend clash, they have won only one of their last eight matches and been defeated by Arsenal and the German side in Europe. However, take in the big picture, the major occasions he’s experienced and those that lie ahead, and a sense of thankful reflection from him.
In the three years since he had rejoined the team, Guruzeta has been a final four contender in Europe, stopped at the gates a final at home by United, and has boarded a decades-old barge along the Nervión river flanked by a million fans after securing the Spanish cup, the first title in four decades. Currently he stands as Athletic’s top scorer in the European competition, where they are countercultural and debuting in ten years. “This was beyond my dreams,” he states.
He considered it difficult enough just to make the first team and he was right. The son of the ex-La Real star Xabi Guruzeta and a dedicated fan at the opposition side, Guruzeta is a product of Antiguoko, the San Sebastián club that nurtured Mikel Arteta, the former star and the tactician. He signed for Athletic at 17 but after making his senior debut in the 2018 season, he went through a serious knee problem, being released, a drop in category and a return before he could truly get a chance, returning at 26 to enjoy the highlights of his career.
“Entering the youth system doubting you’ll make the first team but each step you advance through you’re persisting and you can notice the proximity. You arrive and then … departure is necessary.” He played six, nine, five, one, four and 20 minutes in half a dozen appearances between his bow and early 2019. “Subsequently I returned to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Several appearances at that level and I tear my cruciate.
“A massive setback but I reflect on it as a turning point because it made me change the perspective. Healing from a serious ailment is difficult, but it helps. You develop habits previously lacking. It’s not that you don’t look after yourself, but I would go to training and then go home, as a youngster does. At the complex, all resources are available, so take full advantage. Training, prehab. Strength training. With hip imbalance, address that. If your ankles are a 10, enhance it further. All those ‘silly things’: execute them.
“At the top level you’re going to face physical challenges who have experienced contact repeatedly. Extremely powerful. Reviewing old images: my legs are chicken legs. So what happens, happens. Present-day images and the improvement is clear. Recovery revealed that. Practice concludes, but further effort is needed. Teammates are set, really ready; the same applies.”
Game time is essential. The striker moved in tears in the pandemic season, aged 23, dropping into the second division. During his Sabadell spell in the 20-21 campaign, he netted three goals in numerous matches. With Amorebieta in the second half of 2021-22, the goals started to flow. “Many experience this: loans, terminated contracts. Should you reverse it, work, believe, and when eventually they need someone in your position, they might come back for you. Readiness is vital. When the opportunity came, an aspiration fulfilled. The trophy success, European football, and make the UCL … pfff.”
No wonder he says this is to be enjoyed. Especially after the previous season which, sometimes, was about endurance. From top scorer with a high tally, his output dropped to seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
