VfB Stuttgart have announced modest aims for next season as they are confronted with losing several key players from their surprise run to the Bundesliga runner-up spot last term.
"We can wish for a lot. But to assume that we'll finish second again would be naive at best," sporting director Fabian Wohlgemuth told dpa.
"What we're aiming for in the table next year is a position between 12th and ninth," he said, adding that anything better would of course be welcomed.
Stuttgart narrowly avoided relegation 12 months ago but then rebounded with a strong season to finish in second place behind Bayer Leverkusen and qualify for the Champions League.
But centre back Hiroki Ito has left for Bayern Munich, top scorer Serhou Guirassy is set to leave along with defender Waldemar Anton, and the future of forward Deniz Undav is also unclear.
"The extent to which VfB Stuttgart's past season deviated from normal standards is becoming ever clearer with time," Wohlgemuth said.
"From sick man to runner-up and Champions League participant - it's basically indescribable what the team and coach have achieved in a very short space of time.
He however said that their path "back to the G5 [Top five] of the Bundesliga" on a permanent basis was a long one.