Athletic Bilbao Faces Major Setback as Gorka Guruzeta Suffers Knee Injury

Madrid, October 19 (Daily Kiran) : Athletic Bilbao’s forward Gorka Guruzeta sustained a serious knee injury during the team’s recent match against Valencia, which ended in a 0-0 draw. The injury occurred shortly after Guruzeta came on as a substitute in the second half, just over a minute into his appearance at Valencia’s Mestalla Stadium.

Following the match, Athletic Bilbao’s coach Edin Terzić expressed concern over the severity of the injury, confirming that the club feared the worst. On Monday, the club announced on its website that Guruzeta had completely torn the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee. Medical staff indicated that he would require surgery in the coming days and could face a lengthy recovery period of approximately six to nine months.

Although Guruzeta has yet to score this season, he was the team’s top scorer in the previous campaign, netting 10 goals in 35 La Liga matches and five goals in seven Champions League appearances. His injury leaves Athletic Bilbao with only Inaki Williams and Maroan Sannadi as their primary strikers. Sannadi himself has recently returned from a knee issue that sidelined him for much of last season.

Guruzeta’s injury marks him as the fourth Athletic player to suffer an ACL tear in the past year. Last season, both Benat Prados and Unai Eguileor faced similar injuries, while Manex Lozano also tore his ACL while on loan at Racing Santander in February.

In related news, Athletic Bilbao defender Dani Vivian previously addressed his groin issues that kept him out of the first seven matches of the season, affecting his chances to participate in the World Cup last summer. The 27-year-old returned to full training at the end of September after a lengthy rehabilitation process due to an ‘adductor insertion’ injury he sustained in January. Vivian noted that he continued to play through his issues to support the club during a challenging period.