Farioli explains Pietuszewski absence in FC Porto win

FC Porto secured an away victory against Vitória SC in the eleventh round of the Portuguese league. Despite being named in the matchday squad, Polish winger Oskar Pietuszewski remained on the bench throughout the contest and did not feature in the win.

Head coach Francesco Farioli addressed the situation after the match, suggesting the Poland representative has not yet regained full disposition. Nearly three weeks have elapsed since Pietuszewski’s last competitive appearance as he managed a minor injury. Although he recently returned to availability and was included in squads for fixtures against Napoli and Vitória SC, he did not take the field in either game.

Farioli explained that Pietuszewski had trained with the group only twice during the preceding week. Cited by Record, the coach stated the club wanted him available on the bench solely for cases of absolute necessity given his current physical condition. This cautious approach resulted in another match without playing time despite his return to the squad.

Instead of introducing Pietuszewski, Farioli relied on positional adjustments to secure the three points. He highlighted the tactical flexibility of Martim Fernandes, Pepê and André Silva, who shifted between wings and attacking roles during the encounter. Farioli expressed satisfaction with the result achieved through these adaptations.

Pietuszewski joined FC Porto in January of the current year. Since arriving at the Portuguese club, the former Jagiellonia player has made 22 appearances, recording four goals and four assists across all competitions.