‘All those little things – make sure you do them’: Guruzeta’s path from injury table to scoring with Athletic Bilbao

Thehe debut appearance the Spanish forward competed in English soil, an 18-year-old playing for Athletic Bilbao B against Borussia Mönchengladbach Under-23s at the English ground in fall 2015, he hit the target. On his next visit he appeared in British turf, against the Black Cats weeks after, he netted. The third time, against Pep Guardiola’s team soon after, sure enough, he scored again. As he revisited to Manchester to play against the Red Devils at Leigh’s ground in the 2017 season, he did it once more. An excellent finish, also. “Actually,” he says, “it’s one of the best goals I’ve netted.” So Athletic did what was necessary: he was replaced.

“I was furious,” the Athletic striker admits, before breaking into laughter. “Probably there’s a recording. We traveled to face United and I was pretty good. I wasn’t allowed to feature the latter period: I was without a signed my contract, I kept finding the net, there were lots of rumours, it’s typical. I’m unsure regarding Newcastle being interested, but I recall seeing about Manchester United, the typical thing. I have no idea how true it was, but supposing an offer came, I’d have chosen to stay at Athletic. I feel lucky to be here.”

Real Sociedad ease tension with bizarre win in unique Basque clash

At the training ground, the Basque Country, the early training is ready to commence; after it, the short journey to Loiu and a further journey to the UK, now to take on the Magpies in the European elite competition on midweek. Just saying those two words lights him up. It’s turning out to be a difficult season for the team, partly because of the requirements of being here. Beaten in added time in the derby on Saturday, they have won only one of their last eight matches and lost against Arsenal and Dortmund in Europe. Yet, take in the big picture, the major occasions he’s experienced and upcoming events, and there’s a kind of quiet appreciation from him.

In the the period since he had rejoined the team, Guruzeta has been a Europa League semi-finalist, stopped at the gates a domestic final by United, and has boarded a decades-old barge through the waterway accompanied by a huge crowd after winning the Copa del Rey, the first title in 40 years. Now he is Athletic’s top scorer in the Champions League, where they are unique and returning after absence in ten years. “I couldn’t have pictured this,” he says.

Guruzeta thought it difficult enough just to make the first team and his assessment was correct. As the child of the ex-La Real star Xabi Guruzeta and a season ticket holder at the team he now opposes, the forward is a graduate of Antiguoko, the San Sebastián club that nurtured the Arsenal manager, Xabi Alonso and the Bournemouth manager. He signed for Athletic at his teens but after his first-team bow in the 2018 season, he went through a ACL injury, being released, a drop in category and a return before he could finally secure an opportunity, returning at 26 to live the best days of the club’s history.

“Entering the youth system doubting you’ll make the top level but with every stage you progress through you’re persisting and you can see it getting closer. You arrive and then … departure is necessary.” He featured briefly in six matches in half a dozen appearances between his debut and that period. “And then I go back down to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Five, six games at that level and I suffered the ACL injury.

“A severe disappointment but I reflect on it as a beneficial experience because it shifted the perspective. The rehabilitation process is difficult, but it’s beneficial. You adopt practices you didn’t have. It’s not about neglect, but I attended practice and then go home, typical youth behavior. In the facility, all resources are available, so do everything. Work, precaution. Hit the weights. If your hips aren’t balanced, address that. With decent ankle function, improve it more. All those ‘silly things’: execute them.

“In the first team you’re going to crash into players who have been in battles repeatedly. Highly robust. I look at photos of me before: my legs are chicken legs. Injuries are inevitable. Present-day images and it’s totally different. Recovery revealed that. Sessions end, but there’s more to do. Peers are prepared, really ready; the same applies.”

Game time is essential. He left upset in that year, aged 23, joining the second tier. With Sabadell in the 20-21 campaign, he scored three times in forty appearances. At Amorebieta in the following period, the he found his form. “It’s a common path: transfers, releases. Should you reverse it, dedication, confidence, and should the time come they need someone in your position, a return could happen. You have to be ready. When they decided to call again, an aspiration fulfilled. To then win the Copa del Rey, play in Europe, and reach the Champions League … pfff.”

No wonder he says appreciate the experience. All the more so after last year which, on occasions, was involved suffering. After being leading scorer with a high tally, he managed seven in {15 games more|additional matches|