The Spaniard's shot hit his own hand on its way into the goal and, despite Hoffenheim's protests, the goal was allowed to stand.

Before awarding the goal, the referee asked the Spaniard if he had handled the ball deliberately and he said that was not the case, infuriating the visitors.

"For me, that was a fair goal," Raul told Sky television. "The ball did hit my hand, but it was not intentional."

That was not how Hoffenheim viewed the incident.

"He clearly scores with his hand so the goal should not have been allowed," said their goalkeeper Tom Starke, who was closest to the incident.

"The referee did not see it so he asked him and Raul denied it. A sportsman like him should not be lying."

Hoffenheim coach Holger Stanislawski added: "If the goalkeeper goes up to him, then that means he has seen it and he should therefore not give the goal.

"Now there are going to be 1,000 expert referees all climbing over each other to find a way of saying that the referee got it right so there is no point us getting so worked up about it."

Indeed, former FIFA referee Markus Merk defended the official and said he had got the decision spot on.

"It was absolutely unintentional and so the goal is correct," he said. "In such situations, the referee must ask the player and he did that. He did everything right in this situation."

Two goals from Klaas Jan Huntelaar ensured the controversial goal did not make too big a difference as the Royal Blues moved up to second in the table.

"I am delighted," said their coach Huub Stevens. "We had to give everything to keep the three points in Gelsenkirchen and I think we played cleverly."