Football
Stephan Uersfeld, Germany correspondent 9y

Hoffenheim coach slams goal-line referees after Schalke penalty

#INSERT type:image caption:Sporting have lodged a protest with UEFA over the penalty decision at Schalke. END#

Hoffenheim coach Markus Gisdol has slammed the goal-line referees used in the Champions League after Schalke were awarded the highly controversial injury-time penalty that clinched their 4-3 home win over Sporting Lisbon.

The Bundesliga side were 3-1 up but were pegged back to 3-3 before Russian referee Sergei Karasev awarded a penalty for handball by Jonathan Silva despite Klaas-Jan Huntelaar's header striking the Sporting player's face.

Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting converted from the spot to secure Schalke's victory, but the Bundesliga club announced on Thursday that Sporting had protested to UEFA and demanded a replay or the payment of the bonus awarded for a draw.

Gisdol launched a withering attack on the extra officials, with German football magazine kicker quoting him as asking: "What have they ever done other than to produce expenses?

"What does this goal-line referee do? The player's face was clearly aimed at the ball.

"Has a goal-line referee helped the referee just once? It's going too far. All the costs -- just look at the flights and food. To give the money to charity would make much more sense."

Sporting's statement, issued on the club's official website, said: "Despite our best efforts, we were not permitted to secure the desired result.

"In light of the incidents against our team in the Champions League in the match with Schalke 04, Sporting SAD has decided to present a complaint to UEFA."

The club also called for "the introduction of new technology, such as the possibility of the fourth official reviewing images during the game that allow the main referee to avoid errors which discredit the game."

Huntelaar said he sympathised with Sporting's anger, adding that "video evidence could help the referee."

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