Losing three of their last four games, winning just one of their last five, Chelsea enter this clash in poor form. Now, after a first week loss to Bayern Munich they must face Portuguese giants Benfica who are coached by Blues legend Jose Mourinho.
Facing Mourinho is an honour
Maresca first spoke on Mourinho who has overseen two wins and a draw from his first three Primeira Liga games at the helm.
“It's absolutely a privilege to face Jose tomorrow. Legend for this club, but for different clubs too. It will be a privilege.
"For me, it's a privilege to represent this club in the Champions League and a privilege to face a fantastic manager like Jose tomorrow.
"The only thing I can say is that he is a legend for this club. He is also a legend for Inter where he won the Champions League.
"He is a legend for different clubs in the world. In terms of what he deserves, I am not here to talk about that but he has already shown what an important manager he is."
Maresca has been watching Benfica under Mourinho
Next, he opened up on facing Benfica who have failed to win any of their last seven games against English teams in UEFA competition and will be keen on ending that record this week.
"It's probably a little bit more difficult because all the games I have watched is with the former manager. I watched three or four games of Jose, but for sure it will be a completely different game compared to the Club World Cup game.
"From Benfica, from Jose, you can expect the way they are playing now - 4-3-3/4-2-3-1, but they can also play a back five. I expect two or three different things. We have a plan for these two or three things I expect. He has shown throughout his career how good he is playing with different shapes."
More trophies are the goal
Questions then turned to how the Italian head coach will get fans on his side after a run of bad form and he admitted that consistency is key.
"Probably continue to win trophies. I remember for some moment, Southampton away, when the fans started to sing 'we have our Chelsea back'. I would like it one day, but it's not my main target. For sure (it would be special to hear his name) but if they can sing they have their Chelsea back, I am already happy.
"The target is not that, it's about us winning games and the fans continuing to be happy.
"In this moment, we need to be positive. First of all because it is what the players need. Secondly because there is no reason to be negative. This morning, the club showed me in the last six months we lost five games, four of them with red cards.
"The reality is that there is not any pressure. The pressure we have is what we know - being at Chelsea as a manager, you have to win games, no doubt."
Maresca understands fan frustration
Finally, he revealed that he and the squad are not happy with where the side is at the moment and revealed that his relationship with fans is shaky at the moment.
"I think most of the time, the fans react with the results. I can understand after defeat, the fans are not happy. I am not happy, the players are not happy and the club are not happy. For me, it's more the reaction after the results.
"Again, if in this moment, after five defeats in six months, we are not happy then this probably shows a lack of balance in this sport, but it's a sport I am in for the last 40 years, so I know what it is like."