LONDON -- Chelsea manager Enzo Marseca has described Real Betis boss Manuel Pellegrini as being like a father to him in football as they prepare to go head-to-head in next week's UEFA Conference League final.
Maresca played under Pellegrini at Málaga between 2011 and 2012 and later served as his assistant at West Ham United.
The pair remain very close, even to the extent Maresca called Pellegrini to ask for his advice before taking the Chelsea job last summer.
They last spoke as recently as Monday.
"It's special [our relationship]," Maresca told a news conference on Tuesday.
"I spent four years with Manuel, he is a reference for me because of his career and history. As a human being, he is a top person. I define him like a professional dad because when I need to make big decisions, we are in contact."
He added: "I spoke with Manuel yesterday. We are so close. We spoke in the past a lot and we continue to speak in the present and in the future."
Next week's final will have little impact on Chelsea's season other than adding to their trophy cabinet. Fourth in the Premier League table, they will have a chance to qualify for the Champions League should they beat Nottingham Forest on Sunday.
Chelsea will still be eager to beat Betis in Wroclaw, Poland -- but Maresca insists it will not impact his relationship with his old boss.
"We both want to win, no doubt. He is going to try his best to win the game and I am going to do exactly the same," he added.
"The good thing is nothing will change after the game in terms of relation. We live very close in Spain when we are not working. It's about life. Manuel's age is my dad's age. When I sit with people older than me, I always try to learn because they can teach us in any moment."