Garitano yang pernah menjadi gelandang di Athletic Bilbao bermain untuk Zaragoza selama enam musim antara 1996 dan 2002 sebelum pensiun dan menjadi staf pelatih.
Garitano, who made his name as a midfielder at Athletic Bilbao, played for Zaragoza for six seasons between 1996 and 2002 before retiring and moving on to the coaching staff.