Oskar Pietuszewski is quickly making a name for himself in Portugal. The Polish forward scored a stunning goal in Sunday’s league clash against Benfica, igniting excitement among Porto fans and scouts across Europe.
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He confidently took on Argentina’s World Cup-winning defender, Nicolás Otamendi, and slotted home to put Porto ahead 2-0.
Benfica ultimately fought back to secure a 2-2 draw, but Pietuszewski’s performance still drew widespread praise.
Former Porto Player Chainho Heaps Praise on Pietuszewski
The media are full of accolades for the young forward, and former FC Porto midfielder Carlos Chainho is equally impressed. Chainho played for Porto from 1998 to 2001 and now works as a television analyst for Sport TV, giving him a front-row seat to his former club’s matches.
“I’m not surprised by how he played, because I already knew he had a lot of quality. It was a fantastic performance. He brilliantly handled the one-on-one situation with Otamendi. Normally when you look at him, you’re scared, but he was very brave. He’s fantastic and very fast,” Chainho said of the Polish player.
Pietuszewski was substituted off in the 64th minute with the score at 2-0. Porto struggled after his departure, allowing Benfica to equalize. “I don’t question the substitution. It was a difficult match, and Porto has four wingers,” Chainho commented.
Borja Sainz replaced Pietuszewski, despite previously being a regular starter on the left wing for Porto. However, he had recently lost his place in the lineup to the Polish newcomer, a shift few predicted would happen so quickly.
— Yes, now he is in better form than Sainz, but he must show it in the next matches. If he doesn’t play like he did against Benfica against Moreirense, it won’t be good. He has to prove his class in every game — Chainho stated.
— He could have a great career in the future, but I’ve seen a lot of talents, so I won’t say he’s unique. Porto also has Rodrigo Mora [the offensive midfielder is one year older than the Polish player], and the Portuguese are European champions under 17 — said the former FC Porto player.
Chainho Discusses Potential Transfer for Pietuszewski
Pietuszewski’s impressive form has led to speculation about interest from bigger clubs, as Porto is known for selling key players for substantial fees.
“It would be good if he stayed at Porto. It’s one of the best clubs in the world, and the FC Porto brand means a lot. He should play here for another year or two to develop. Then he could proceed to Real Madrid, Barcelona, or one of the Manchester clubs. If he works and develops, he could reach that level,” he predicted.
The 17-year-old has made a significant impact in his last three league appearances, setting up a winning goal against Rio Ave (1-0), scoring his first goal for the club against Arouca (3-1), and now finding the net in a high-profile match against Benfica. He has started in the league for Porto four times in a row.
In his eight appearances for Porto, Pietuszewski has scored two goals, provided one assist, and won a penalty (which Transfermarkt also counts as an assist). He has played a total of 319 minutes (plus stoppage time, which is not included in such statistics).
— The coach believes in him. If you’re good, you play in Portugal, even if you’re 17 years old — Chainho said.
Porto will face VfB Stuttgart in the Round of 16 of the Europa League on Thursday, but Pietuszewski will be unavailable. The Porto coach and officials may regret not registering the Polish player for European competitions. After the group stage, they could only change three players in the squad and chose others—Thiago Silva, Seko Fofana, and Terema Moffi. None of them started against Benfica, and the coach fielded his strongest possible lineup for such a crucial match. At that time, they likely didn’t anticipate that a 17-year-old would break into the first team so quickly.
Pietuszewski’s Potential Call-Up to the Polish National Team
However, his recent performances have increased his chances of being called up by Urban. — I think he’ll be in the senior national team now. He deserves it. Polish players are great overall. Bednarek played very well now, and Kiwior was fantastic. It’s a very good generation, and Pietuszewski may one day be Lewandowski’s successor — Chainho said.
Bednarek played on Sunday despite suffering an injury in Tuesday’s match against Sporting (0-1) in the semi-finals of the Portuguese Cup. He and Kiwior also received positive reviews.
— I like them, they are focused, very strong and good in the air — Chainho praised the Polish center-back duo.
Porto currently leads the league with 66 points, four points ahead of Sporting and seven ahead of Benfica.
