Porto’s Oskar Pietuszewski is hailed as gifted, brave and hard to coach

Oskar Pietuszewski is described as brave and gifted, but also difficult to coach. At Porto, those qualities and his temperament have shaped the accounts of people who have worked with him, while his recent performances have drawn attention.

A move he made in early March at Benfica’s Estádio da Luz captured his daring: he took the ball past Nicolás Otamendi before beating Anatoliy Trubin. It was not portrayed as an isolated flash. His teammate Samu Aghehowa responded with a grin: “You have no mercy,” in comments relayed by A Bola.

His first coach, Rafał Muczyński, remembers a player who “always had a winner’s character and took it hard when something didn’t work out.” Lasocki already saw his potential clearly: “It was clear he was an exceptional talent.” Marek Wasiluk, his youth coach at Jagiellonia, placed him among “the best boys in Europe in his age group.”

Managing that personality has also called for patience. In April, after being substituted in a 3-1 win at Estoril, Pietuszewski reacted angrily on the bench. After the squad had showered and he had finished his press conference, the coach calmly addressed him and indicated the club crest.

Other accounts highlight how quickly he settled into the group. Afimico Pululu told O Jogo that the teenager never seemed like a newcomer. The striker said Pietuszewski was not shy and gave the impression of having been with the team for three years. Pepe, the former Porto defender, also noted that he could use both feet. After Pietuszewski’s first appearance of the season, a late cameo in a 3-1 win over Benfica in September, Pepe told Eleven Sports that he was highly talented and able to play with either foot.

On 26 March, Pietuszewski made his Poland debut, coming on at half-time in the 2-1 playoff semi-final win over Albania. He has six caps. Siemieniec has said Pietuszewski can still be a liability as well as a match-winner. The picture that emerges is of a gifted player whose energy and temperament require careful guidance.