Argentina’s head coach has sprung to the defence of Paulo Dybala after the Juventus striker revealed he struggles to play alongside Lionel Messi.

Barcelona star Messi started in the 0-0 draw with Peru in the early hours of Friday morning – a result that serenely dented their World Cup qualification hopes. But Dybala was benched for the crunch game in Buenos Aires.

Argentina recorded six shots on target and also hit the woodwork but failed to break through a stout Peru defence.

After the game Dybala said: “It is not easy to play with Messi because we play the same way.”

But Argentina boss Jorge Sampaoli has moved to soothe the tensions between his two strikers. “I don’t see what Dybala said as being bad – he said he was happy to play alongside Messi, but he just did not find his place,” Sampaoli said.

“He said what he felt about playing beside the world’s best player.

“It’s often difficult to know what position you have in the attack when you are playing alongside someone of Lionel’s intelligence.”

Argentina face missing out on World Cup qualification after a disastrous campaign.

They sit sixth in South America’s qualifying league table, with the top four automatically gaining entry to Russia 2018.

The side that finishes fifth with play in a playoff against New Zealand.

Argentina’s final match is away at Ecuador, while fifth-place Peru host Colombia.

As for Messi, he has scored just four goals in qualifying, with South American counterparts Edinson Cavani, Alexis Sanchez and Neymar all bagging more.

Dybala, meanwhile, is yet to find the net.