"I'm sorry for him, it's a big shame. Of course he has all the support of the club and every one of his teammates," said Alonso.
"I spoke with him before he had his surgery and also after it. Everything has gone really well and now he will be at home in Barcelona for a few days before he can start physiotherapy.
"The moment he knew it was the cruciate ligament he was down but he is a positive guy. He always tries to have a smile on his face and so now already he is really focussed on his recovery.
"It's a major loss both for him and for the team."