Athletic Bilbao's forward, Gorka Guruzeta, is expected to miss the remainder of the season after sustaining a serious knee injury during Saturday's goalless draw against Valencia. The 30-year-old entered the match as a second-half substitute and was on the field for just over a minute when he appeared to catch his foot in the turf at Valencia's Mestalla Stadium, leading to the injury.

Athletic Bilbao coach Edin Terzic initially expressed concern, stating after the match that the injury 'doesn't look good.' The club has since confirmed the worst fears, announcing on Monday that Guruzeta suffered a complete tear of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee. He is scheduled for surgery in the coming days and faces an extensive recovery period of six to nine months.

Despite not having scored this season, Guruzeta was a key player for Athletic in the 2025-26 campaign, netting 10 goals in 35 La Liga appearances and an additional five in seven Champions League matches. His absence leaves Inaki Williams and Maroan Sannadi as the primary specialist strikers for the Basque side, with Sannadi only recently returning from his own knee injury.

This is a significant blow for Athletic Bilbao, as Guruzeta is the fourth player from the club to suffer an ACL tear in the past year. Benat Prados and Unai Egiluz faced similar injuries last season, and Manex Lozano tore his ACL in February while on loan. Adding to the club's injury woes, defender Dani Vivian recently returned to full training after missing the season's first seven games due to a groin problem that also cost him a spot in last summer's World Cup.

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