Alpay and his Turkish team-mates are still smarting following their controversial confrontation in the opening game of Group C when coach Senol Gunes’ side suffered a last-gasp defeat and the Barcelona star compounded the misery when his play-acting led to a red card for Hakan Unsal.

Unsal kicked the ball to Rivaldo, waiting by the corner flag. The ball struck the Brazilian on the thigh, but he conned the referee into thinking making it look as though he had been hit in the face.

Alpay, who was also sent off in the same match and is one yellow card away from another suspension, said: ‘‘If the ball had hit his chest then I could have understood his reaction, but it was on his knee - it was a strange action.

‘‘I admit my red card was a fair one, although the referee should not have awarded a penalty. But the one which Hakan Unsal received, and which all the world saw, was not fair.

‘‘Rivaldo’s actions were needless, but now I think we will take action accordingly in this game.

‘‘Although I have a yellow card, myself and my team-mates are not thinking about them at the moment.

‘‘We will show great spirit on the pitch because we want to play in the final. That is the only target right now for us. If I get another yellow card, and it ensures our place in the final, then I will not hesitate.’’

Turkey were on course for at least a point heading into the closing stages of the game in Ulsan three weeks ago after Ronaldo had cancelled out Hasan Sas’ first-half opener.

But then Alpay was sent off for a second bookable offence after tugging on the shirt of Luizao outside the area, only for Korean referee Kim Young-soo to award a penalty from which Rivaldo drove home the winner before the ugly incident involving Rivaldo at the end.

Danish referee Kim Milton Nielsen, no stranger to controversy himself following his infamous dismissal of England’s David Beckham against Argentina at France '98, has been handed the task of keeping the lid on what could be a pot-boiler.