‘All those little things – make sure you do them’: The striker’s path from gurney to scoring with Athletic Bilbao
The first time the Spanish forward played in English soil, an young playing for the reserve team against Borussia Mönchengladbach Under-23s at Adams Park in the 2015 season, he found the net. The second time he played in England, against the Black Cats following that, he converted. The third time, against the Citizens six weeks after that, sure enough, he scored again. When he returned to the northwest to play against the Red Devils at Leigh’s ground in that year, he did it once more. A spectacular strike, too. “Truly,” he remarks, “it ranks among my finest in my career.” So Athletic did what they had to do: he was replaced.
“I became very upset,” the Athletic striker reveals, and then he starts laughing. “There must be a video somewhere. We traveled to face United and I was pretty good. They didn’t let me play the second half: I was without a signed deal, I was scoring goals, speculation was rife, you know how it is. I don’t know about the Magpies’ pursuit, but I remember reading about the Red Devils, standard transfer gossip. It’s unclear how true it was, but had they contacted me, my desire was to remain at Bilbao. It’s a privilege.”
La Real relieve strain with extraordinary derby triumph
At the training ground, the city, the early training is ready to commence; after it, the short journey to Loiu airport and another flight to England, on this occasion to play Newcastle in the UCL on midweek. Just saying those two words brings a smile to his face. It has become a tough year for Athletic, partly because of the requirements of competing at this level. Losing in stoppage time in the local rivalry, they have secured just a single victory of their last eight matches and been defeated by Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund in European competition. Yet, look at the overall situation, the big nights he has lived and future challenges, and there’s a kind of quiet appreciation within him.
In the 36 months since he had rejoined the team, Gorka has been a semi-final participant, stopped at the gates the showpiece event by Manchester United, and has traveled on a traditional boat up the Nervión estuary flanked by countless supporters after winning the Copa del Rey, the first title in four decades. Now he is the club’s leading marksman in the UCL, where they are distinctive and debuting in a long period. “I couldn’t have pictured this,” he states.
He considered it difficult enough just to break into the senior squad and he was right. As the child of the ex-La Real star his father and a dedicated fan at the club that are now his rivals, Gorka is a product of Antiguoko, the Donostiarra team that produced the coach, the legendary midfielder and Andoni Iraola. He joined Athletic at seventeen but after making his senior debut in August 2018, he experienced a ACL injury, being released, a relegation and a call back before he could truly get a chance, returning at 26 to live the best days of their lives.
“Entering the youth system not expecting to reach the senior squad but every phase you progress through you’re remaining and you can see it getting closer. You get there but … you have to leave.” He featured briefly in six matches in a handful of matches between his first game and that period. “And then I go back down to the filial [Bilbao Athletic, the Under-23s]. A few matches at that level and I suffered the ACL injury.
“A severe disappointment but In retrospect as something positive because it shifted the perspective. Recovering from a long-term injury is difficult, but it’s beneficial. You cultivate routines you didn’t have. It’s not about neglect, but I did the sessions and then return home, like when you’re a kid. At the complex, you have everything, so utilize it all. Practice, prevention. Strength training. With hip imbalance, correct it. With decent ankle function, make it a 12 or a 14. All the minor details: perform them.
“In the first team you’re going to collide with opponents who have crashed into players countless occasions. Highly robust. Seeing previous pictures: I had slender legs. Injuries are inevitable. Look at pictures of me now and the change is dramatic. Recovery revealed that. Practice concludes, but further effort is needed. Peers are prepared, really ready; you have to be too.”
Minutes are crucial. The striker moved emotionally in the pandemic season, at 23 years old, moving to a lower level. At Sabadell in 2020-21, he got three strikes in 40 games. With Amorebieta in the second half of 2021-22, the goals started to flow. “Players go through it: temporary moves, ended deals. With a turnaround, work, believe, and if one day the requirement appears in your position, a return could happen. You have to be ready. When they decided to call again, a fantasy realized. Lifting the cup, play in Europe, and reach the Champions League … pfff.”
Understandably he remarks appreciate the experience. All the more so after the previous season which, at times, was focused on persistence. Previously the main threat with a high tally, his output dropped to seven in {15 games more|additional matches|
