‘All those little things – make sure you do them’: The striker’s road from injury table to goals with Athletic Bilbao

The initial occasion the Athletic striker featured in English soil, an young representing the reserve team against Bundesliga youth at the English ground in September 2015, he found the net. The second time he appeared in England, against the English side two months later, he netted. His third outing, against Pep Guardiola’s team not long later, sure enough, he repeated the feat. When he returned to the city to face United at Leigh Sports Village in the 2017 season, he found the back of the net. It was a superb volley, as well. “Truly,” he states, “it’s one of the best goals in my career.” Thus the club did what they had to do: they took him off.

“I got well angry,” the forward admits, before breaking into laughter. “Probably there’s a recording. We traveled to face United and I was pretty good. They kept me out of the latter period: I was without a signed deal, I was scoring goals, speculation was rife, as you’d expect. I don’t know about interest from Newcastle, but I remember reading about Man United, standard transfer gossip. I have no idea how true it was, but supposing an offer came, my desire was to remain at Bilbao. I feel lucky to be here.”

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At Lezama, the city, the day’s first practice is about to start; post-session, the short journey to Loiu and a further journey to Britain, this time to face Newcastle in the UCL on the upcoming match. Just saying those two words brings a smile to his face. It’s turning out to be a challenging campaign for the team, partially owing to the demands of competing at this level. Beaten in added time in the local rivalry, they have managed just one win of their last eight matches and been defeated by Arsenal and Dortmund in the continental stage. But, 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, the striker has been a final four contender in Europe, stopped at the gates a domestic final by the English giants, and has traveled on a traditional boat along the Nervión river surrounded by a million fans after securing the Spanish cup, the team’s initial silverware in four decades. Now he is Athletic’s top scorer in the Champions League, where they are distinctive and making their first appearance in ten years. “I couldn’t have pictured this,” he states.

The player believed it difficult enough just to make the first team and that proved true. The son of the former Real Sociedad player Xabi Guruzeta and a dedicated fan at the team he now opposes, the forward is a product of Antiguoko, the local academy that nurtured the Arsenal manager, the legendary midfielder and the Bournemouth manager. He signed for Athletic at his teens but after his top-level debut in the 2018 season, he went through a ACL injury, the cut, a drop in category and a call back before he could finally secure an opportunity, making his comeback to experience the peak of the club’s history.

“You go into the academy not expecting to reach the top level but each step you advance 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 early 2019. “And then I go back down to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. Five, six games at that level and my knee gave way.

“A severe disappointment but In retrospect as something positive because it made me change the way I saw things. The rehabilitation process is challenging, but it helps. You adopt practices new to you. Previously I was casual, but I attended practice and then go home, typical youth behavior. At the complex, all resources are available, so utilize it all. Work, precaution. Strength training. Should your hips be uneven, address that. Assuming ankle mobility is good, make it a 12 or a 14. All those ‘silly things’: do them.

“In the first team you’re going to crash into players who have crashed into players 200,000 times. Highly robust. I look at photos of me before: I had slender legs. Injuries are inevitable. Look at pictures of me now and the change is dramatic. The setback taught me. Sessions end, but further effort is needed. Teammates are set, really ready; you have to be too.”

Minutes are crucial. He left emotionally in 2020, at 23 years old, dropping into the second division. With Sabadell in 2020-21, he scored three times in forty appearances. During his Amorebieta stint in the latter part of the season, the goals started to flow. “Many experience this: temporary moves, ended deals. With a turnaround, effort, faith, and should the time come the requirement appears in your position, they might come back for you. 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.”

Little surprise he states savor the moment. All the more so after the prior campaign which, at times, was involved suffering. From top scorer with a high tally, his output dropped to seven in {15 games more|additional matches|