Polish Star Pietuszewski Shines in Portugal, Earning Praise & Transfer Talk
A thrilling Liga Portugal clash saw FC Porto and Benfica share the points in a 2-2 draw on , but the match also provided a breakout performance from young Polish forward Oskar Pietuszewski.
Porto raced to a 2-0 lead at the Estádio da Luz, with Victor Froholdt opening the scoring in the 10th minute, followed by Pietuszewski’s goal in the 40th. Benfica fought back in the second half through Andreas Schjelderup (69th minute) and Leandro Barreiro (88th minute), but the spotlight shone brightly on the 17-year-old Pole who confidently took on and beat veteran Argentinian defender Nicolás Otamendi.
Pietuszewski Impresses Former Porto Player
The performance of Pietuszewski has drawn praise from those familiar with the Portuguese game. Carlos Chainho, a former FC Porto midfielder who played for the club between 1998 and 2001 and now works as a television pundit for Sport TV, was effusive in his assessment of the young forward.
“I’m not surprised by how he played, since I knew beforehand that he has a lot of quality,” Chainho said. “It was a wonderful performance. He dealt brilliantly in the one-on-one situation with Otamendi. Normally when you look at him, you’re scared, but he was very brave. He is fantastic and very fast,
” Chainho commented.
Pietuszewski was substituted off in the 64th minute with Porto leading 2-0, a change Chainho understood. “I’m not surprised by the change. It was a difficult match, and Porto has four wingers,” he explained.
The substitution proved somewhat impactful, as Benfica’s comeback began shortly after, though Chainho cautioned that maintaining form will be key for Pietuszewski. “Yes, now he is in better form than Sainz, but he must reveal that in the next matches. If he doesn’t play against Moreirense like he did against Benfica, it won’t be good. He has to prove his class in every game,” Chainho stated.
Chainho also tempered expectations, noting the presence of other promising young players at Porto. “He can have a great career in the future, but I’ve seen many talents, so I won’t say he’s unique. Porto also has Rodrigo Moré [an offensive midfielder who is one year older than the Pole], and the Portuguese are European champions under 17,” he added.
Potential Transfer and National Team Call-Up
Pietuszewski’s rapid ascent has inevitably led to speculation about a potential transfer. Porto has a reputation for developing and selling players for significant fees, and the young Pole is already attracting attention.
“It would be good if he stayed at Porto. It is one of the best clubs in the world, the FC Porto brand means a lot. He should play here for another year or two and develop. Then he can go to Real Madrid, Barcelona, or one of the Manchester clubs. If he works and develops, he can reach that level,” Chainho predicted.
Pietuszewski has made a significant impact in his short time with Porto, appearing in eight matches, scoring two goals, providing one assist, and winning a penalty (which Transfermarkt also counts as an assist). He has played a total of 319 minutes plus added time.
Chainho emphasized the faith shown in Pietuszewski by the manager. “The coach believes in him. If you are good, you play in Portugal, even if you are 17 years old,” he said.
Unfortunately for Porto, Pietuszewski was not registered for the Europa League squad and will miss Thursday’s match against VfB Stuttgart. This was a decision that Chainho suggested may be regretted by the club’s management. “The coach and the club authorities may be kicking themselves that they didn’t register the Pole for the European competitions. After the end of the league phase, they could only change three players in the squad and chose others – Thiago Silva, Seko Fofana and Terema Moffi.”
The impressive form of Pietuszewski also raises the possibility of a call-up to the Polish national team ahead of the upcoming Euro qualifying play-off matches against Albania, and potentially Ukraine or Sweden. Poland coach Jan Urban had previously been cautious about including the 17-year-old, who had been playing for the youth team. “We may decide it is worth calling him up for the play-offs, but it is equally likely that he will continue to play with the youth team,” Urban said recently.
However, Chainho believes Pietuszewski has earned a place in the senior squad. “I think he will be in the first team now. He deserves it. Polish players are great overall. Bednarek played very well now, and Kiwior fantastically. It’s a very good generation, and Pietuszewski may one day be Lewandowski’s successor,” he stated.
Chainho also praised the performances of fellow Polish players Jan Bednarek and Paweł Kiwior, describing them as “focused, very strong and good in the air.”
Porto currently leads Liga Portugal with 66 points, four points ahead of Sporting and seven points ahead of Benfica.