Maresca won't be underestimating the Portuguese giants in their tie.
He said: "I think Benfica – not only in this competition but always – are a big club in Europe. In the last game, they beat Bayern Munich, which shows how good they are and what they are able to do.
"I think it’s going to be a balanced game. In this tournament, at this stage and these conditions, it’s difficult to see a big difference between teams.
"So I’m quite sure it’s going to be a balanced game, a tough game, and in this kind of game, the small details are very important."
Anything can happen
Maresca says he's confident of knowing the way Benfica play.
He explained: "Now we’re in a knockout game and in a knockout game anything can happen. That is not just for us, it’s for every club, and the players are aware that at this moment the team that makes the most mistakes will be the team that are back home the day after.
"The most important thing is the way we prepare ourselves. It’s very complicated at this moment, for many reasons, to see games where the difference between the two teams is big. They are more or less very close, and it’s a game where the details are going to make the difference."