Uefa charged Raul of 'unsporting behaviour' for punching the ball past Leeds keeper Nigel Martyn for Real's first goal.

The Spaniards won the match 3-2 which ensured Real finished top of the group.

He has been fined for the action which was not spotted by the match referee Riszard Woljic - the official later apologised to the Leeds players in the dressing room - but was clearly evident on television replays.

Raul protested his innocence after the match, saying: "There is no way that I touched the ball with my hand.

"It was a rapid move, I jumped up strongly with a Leeds defender and when I saw the ball, it was already in the net.

"I don't know what I hit the ball with, but it was not with my hand."

However, the striker was denounced by Uefa chief executive Gerhard Aigner, who said: "The action by Raul when he scored his team's first goal with his hand is against the fundamental principles of Fair Play.

"So the initiative by the Uefa Control and Disciplinary Body is welcome."

The Spanish Football Federation sent a letter to Uefa, defending Raul.

Uefa announced they had been lenient with the 23-year-old, because "Raul is one of the fairest players in football with an exemplary record of having received only two yellow cards in over 100 international matches for club and country.

"However, such an act, which apart from the negative consequences for the opposing team, goes against the principles of Fair Play and cannot remain unpunished".

An appeal can be launched, provided it is received by midnight on Monday.

The decision was reached following evidence from match referee Wojcik and Raul himself, with the findings stating that his action was "a manifest act of cheating committed deliberately with the sole objective of gaining personal profit from an act which might have distorted the competition".