Deco confident of Barça progress

One of a rare breed of players to have won the UEFA Champions League with two different clubs, a frustrated Deco will sit out Wednesday's Group E tie between FC Barcelona and Rangers FC. The 30-year-old Portugal playmaker, who this season is writing a diary for uefa.com every UEFA Champions League Matchday, tore a thigh muscle last month and will be cheering his side on from his native Brazil as he continues his recovery.

Deco's diary

I am going to watch Barcelona's match against Rangers on television here in Brazil, where I've been recovering from my injury since last week. Unfortunately, it is a serious injury – the adductor muscle in my left leg was basically torn apart. I decided to recover here in Brazil for various reasons. It is very frustrating to watch everybody training and playing while you have to undergo treatment, which is pretty boring. It is better to be away, so you can think clearly about things and concentrate on your rehabilitation. Dr Gaspar, who is Portugal's national team physio, is here with me. We are working on the leg twice a day but it still aches. Hopefully the pain will be gone soon and I will be able to do some more exercise.

It is horrible being injured. I want to be playing with my team-mates. But since it has happened, it's been a good idea to come back to Brazil. I have met friends and family, and I am doing exactly the same things to recover that I would be doing in Barcelona. I will be back in Spain next Saturday and I should be starting training next week. I still don't know when I will be able to play again, but I guess another 20 days is a realistic target.

I have watched all the Barcelona matches since I got injured. I am pleased the team have been able to keep progressing. I avoid reading news and talking to people there, though. I just talk to the club's doctor every day to explain what we are doing and how things are going. Barcelona controlled the game against Rangers in Scotland. Maybe we lacked depth. They defended for 90 minutes and it is difficult to get past those crowded lines of players.

I think Rangers will try to do the same thing in Barcelona. If they played for a draw at home, there is no reason why they'd take chances away. The secret is to circulate the ball well and try to regain possession quickly, while they are reorganising. Camp Nou is a big pitch, so sooner or later my team-mates are bound to find the space to score and collect three points. I wasn't expecting Rangers to be our opponents in the fight for first place. Everybody thought Olympique Lyonnais were our main rivals. But Rangers have shown quality so far. They beat Lyon away, which is not an easy task, and they deserve our respect.

Lots of people have asked me how Thierry Henry is doing in these first months with us in Barcelona. And I say: so far, so good. He is a great player and he's been talking to us in Spanish already. Obviously he doesn't feel confident enough to give interviews in Spanish, but he knows some words. He is very good, he's got a great track record and you can see how opponents respect him. Henry is adapting well and I wish him and my colleagues the best of luck in the next few games.

Wednesday is the day of the official launch of Institute Deco 20 in the city of Indaiatuba, near São Paulo. The institute is addressing social issues, which are big in Brazil. I could have been a victim of the system. But I've become a footballer and I want to pay back this blessing trying to help lots of kids. It is a beautiful project. It will change the life of a big number of children, involving them in sport, education, and courses. It will give them a chance to get a job. I am very happy and very proud.