‘All those silly things – do them’: The striker’s path from gurney to goals with Athletic Bilbao
The initial occasion the Athletic striker featured in England, an 18-year-old appearing for Athletic Bilbao B against Borussia Mönchengladbach Under-23s at Adams Park in fall 2015, he scored. During his subsequent match he appeared in the country, against the English side weeks after, he scored. His third outing, against Manchester City not long later, well, he repeated the feat. When he returned to the northwest to face United at the sports complex in 2017, he found the back of the net. It was a superb volley, too. “In fact,” he states, “it’s a top-class goal in my career.” Therefore the team did their duty: they substituted him.
“I was furious,” the attacker says, and then he starts laughing. “There must be a video somewhere. Our match against United and I was pretty good. I wasn’t allowed to feature the final 45 minutes: I hadn’t yet signed deal, goals were flowing, there were lots of rumours, as you’d expect. I don’t know about Newcastle being interested, but I recall seeing about Manchester United, the typical thing. I have no idea if it was accurate, but had they contacted me, my desire was to remain at Athletic. I’m fortunate to be here.”
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At Lezama, the Basque Country, the day’s first practice is about to start; post-session, the short journey to Loiu airport and another flight to the UK, on this occasion to face Newcastle in the Champions League on the upcoming match. Just saying those two words lights him up. It has become a challenging campaign for the team, partly because of the requirements of competing at this level. Losing in stoppage time in the local rivalry, they have managed just one win of their last eight matches and lost against Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund in the continental stage. But, consider the broader view, the major occasions he’s experienced and future challenges, and a sense of thankful reflection within him.
In the three years since he had come back to Athletic, the striker has been a semi-final participant, denied at the last hurdle the showpiece event by United, and has boarded a decades-old barge up the Nervión estuary surrounded by a huge crowd after lifting the trophy, the team’s initial silverware in a long wait. He’s now the top goal-getter in the Champions League, where they are countercultural and returning after absence in ten years. “I couldn’t have pictured this,” he says.
The player believed it challenging enough just to break into the senior squad and he was right. Born to the ex-La Real star Xabi Guruzeta and a regular attendee at the opposition side, the forward is a product of Antiguoko, the Donostiarra team that nurtured Mikel Arteta, the legendary midfielder and Andoni Iraola. He signed for Athletic at 17 but after his top-level debut in that summer, he experienced a torn cruciate, the cut, a demotion and a call back before he could earn his place, coming back aged 26 to live the best days of their lives.
“You go into the academy doubting you’ll make the top level but each step you advance through you’re persisting and you can see it getting closer. You get there but … you’re sent away.” He played six, nine, five, one, four and 20 minutes in half a dozen appearances between his debut and that period. “Subsequently I returned to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. A few matches at that level and my knee gave way.
“It was a huge blow but I reflect on it as something positive because it forced me to alter the way I saw things. Recovering from a long-term injury is difficult, but it helps. You develop habits previously lacking. It’s not about neglect, but I did the sessions and then go home, like when you’re a kid. In the facility, facilities are comprehensive, so do everything. Work, precaution. Strength training. Should your hips be uneven, 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 crash into players who have crashed into players 200,000 times. They’re so strong. I look at photos of me before: my physique was slight. So what happens, happens. Current photos and the change is dramatic. Injury made me see that. Practice concludes, but there’s more to do. Everyone else is ready, really ready; no exceptions.”
Game time is essential. He left in tears in 2020, at 23 years old, moving to a lower level. At Sabadell in that season, he got three strikes in forty appearances. At Amorebieta in the latter part of the season, the he found his form. “Players go through it: loans, terminated contracts. With a turnaround, dedication, confidence, and should the time come they need someone for your role, recall is possible. You have to be ready. Upon the recall, an aspiration fulfilled. To then win the Copa del Rey, compete continentally, and make the UCL … pfff.”
Little surprise he states appreciate the experience. All the more so after last year which, at times, was involved suffering. After being leading scorer with sixteen goals, he managed seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
