Palermo midfielder Roberto Guana admits the club's ambitions of playing in next year's Champions League will be compromised if they fail to see off visitors Cagliari on Saturday.

The Sicilians looked odds-on to claim a berth in Europe's elite club competition after an excellent start to the season.

However, their form has nose-dived since the turn of the year, although they still retain the fourth spot that will get them into next year's Champions League qualifiers.

However, the Rosaneri have Empoli and AC Milan breathing down their necks and need to get back to winning ways soon - their last victory was on February 2.

Guana told club website www.ilpalermocalcio.it: "If we don't win (against Cagliari) everything will become more difficult and complicated.

"We are talking about a game we absolutely have to win if we are to stay in charge of fourth place and we simply can not fail in this game.

"We really want to reverse this trend so that we can start winning again and so we can work to the end to reach our objectives."

Palermo defender Mattia Cassani is equally adamant that the club must not rely on their rivals slipping-up.

"We can not rely on our rivals who are either above us or below us in the table losing if we are to succeed in our objective of the Champions League qualifiers," Cassani said.

"We must try and win our games so that our rivals start worrying about us instead."

Midfielder Eugenio Corini has been ruled out of Saturday's match but club doctors still hope that Edinson Cavani can feature at the Stadio Renzo Barbera.

Long-term casualty Amauri Carvalho, whose injury seems to have prompted the decline, is out for the season while Cristian Zaccardo and Fabio Simplicio are suspended for Saturday's fixture.

Cagliari, meanwhile, need the points in the bank if they are to keep a safe distance away from the relegation places.

Marco Giampaolo's men are six points better off than third-bottom Messina, who currently occupy the last relegation spot and whom they beat last weekend to ease their plight a little.

With key players like Mauro Esposito, Alessandro Capone and Antonio Langella sidelined through injury, Giampaolo is looking to youth.

Roberto Puddu, whose Serie A career so far totals eight minutes as a substitute, has been added to the squad and could feature for the Sardinians against the Sicilians.

Giampaolo believes Cagliari can look forward to the future with confidence.

"The win against Messina has given us peace of mind," he told club website www.cagliaricalcio.it.

"I want to see the team look hungry and we have the means to get the result. But I have warned them that we will have to fight until the last day of the season.

"This game is a good chance for us to get points but we must not look at the calendar and start doing sums. Every game is a crucial one."