Oskar Pietuszewski suffers small left thigh muscle injury, set to miss League Cup tie

Injury before the Gil Vicente match

Oskar Pietuszewski was in the starting lineup for FC Porto's ninth-round Primeira Liga match at Gil Vicente on Saturday, 24 October, but he was hurt in the warm-up and did not play. Borja Sainz took his place and scored the only goal of the 1-0 win in the 63rd minute, after a partial clearance by the home defence. Portuguese outlets reported that the problem came up during the warm-up, leaving the 18-year-old unable to take the field. Porto remained top of the league on 27 points, eight ahead of second-placed Benfica. Benfica play Santa Clara on Monday, 26 October, at 18:45 Portugal Continental time, at the Estádio de São Miguel.

Club confirms a small thigh injury

On Sunday, 25 October, FC Porto published a short statement on its official channels after further tests. The statement said the complementary exams had reached this finding:

“Oskar Pietuszewski was diagnosed with a small muscle injury in his left thigh.”

Imaging exams were carried out on the Sunday, and treatment had already begun under the club's health department. Pietuszewski was added to the medical bulletin alongside William Gomes and Vasco Sousa. The club has not given any forecast for his return to competition.

Coach's assessment and the next matches

Francesco Farioli, speaking at a press conference, said the injury affects a different leg from the one that troubled Pietuszewski in recent weeks. The coach said it looked like a muscle cramp but that it was too early to be sure. He added that tests would follow within hours and that the injury did not appear to be serious, though the results were still awaited. Pietuszewski is set to miss the League Cup match against Académico de Viseu on Wednesday, 28 October. Portuguese media reported that Porto's medical staff and Farioli do not want to take risks, so the absence could run until the injury is fully resolved. Portuguese media also expect him to miss only one league match, with a possible return against Estoril in the 10th round.

Season context and national team

The injury comes after a slow start to the season. A muscle injury in pre-season kept Pietuszewski out until 20 September, when he came on in the closing minutes of the 3-1 win over Benfica in the seventh round. He was a substitute against Marítimo and Real Betis, then made his first start of the 2026/27 season in a 1-0 home defeat to PSV. Polish coverage said he was regaining the form he showed last season, and judged that he will likely be available for Poland's November camp. Poland play Romania away on 14 November and Sweden at home on 17 November in the Nations League.