The central defender believes Valencia have enough quality on their side to challenge the Spanish giants for top honours in the Iberian Peninsula.
The last six years in Spanish top flight football has seen Real Madrid and Barcelona being crowned an equal three times, with Valencia usually ending up in third slot, behind the Iberian giants.
With a change of guard at the Mestalla, as http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Barcelona-c38604 and Real Madrid’s duopoly to end, ceasing their own trophy drought as well.
http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Valencia-c40863 are looking to decrease the difference between the duo and themselves in the 2012/13 Spanish top flight season.
He explained that there is a wide gulf between where Los Che are at the moment and where they want to be. The 23-year-old stated that the whole process is going to be difficult to achieve with the marked difference in quality.
However, Ruiz claimed that the coming season will see the bar come down as teams across http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Spain-c3011 have strengthened and are readying themselves to challenge them in the coming Primera Division season.
"The idea, at least, is for the team to try to get as close as possible to them," the former http://www.senore.com/Football-soccer/Napoli-c40003 star said while answering questions posed by press reporters at a press conference.
"We will not say we're going to challenge them, as we know that is difficult and right now they are one step above the rest - that is the reality.”
"But we must try to get as close as possible and challenge them. And there are many teams that we are not going to make it easy for: Sevilla, Malaga and Athletic."
"Last year, at the outset, the coach [former boss Unai Emery] gave me confidence but in the last month or so, I was further away from the first team," the young defender explained.
"I must improve and, if possible, try to have continuity throughout the year. But I have to earn it in training and in games."
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