A Football Association regulatory commission will this afternoon conclude a two-day inquiry into the ugly post-match altercation between Patrice Evra and a Chelsea groundsman after Manchester United's April defeat at Stamford Bridge. While the French full-back is expecting to be fined it remains to be seen what sanction, if any, is imposed upon Chelsea.

A number of witnesses were called to give evidence to the four-man commission at Soho Square yesterday, including Chelsea stewards and members of United's coaching staff, with more statements to be heard today. Evra, who was among a group of United players conducting a warm-down after their side's 2-1 loss, was involved in a confrontation with one of the groundsmen, Sam Bethell, after being asked to move from the area of the pitch where they were jogging.

Punches appeared to be thrown - the incident was caught on camera - with United resigned to the likelihood that he will be found guilty of improper conduct. Evra had requested a personal hearing and arrived at Soho Square along with Maurice Watkins, United's lawyer, and the assistant manager Mike Phelan.

Evra was expected to argue to the commission that he was provoked by Bethell, who had himself been charged with improper conduct and using abusive language aggravated by reference to nationality and/or race. An independent commission subsequently cleared him, ruling that the FA did not have disciplinary jurisdiction over the groundsman because Chelsea had failed to inform him that he was subject to FA rules.

The FA went on to charge Chelsea "for their failure to include the required provisions in his employment contract" and with "failing to ensure that Bethell conducted himself in an orderly fashion and/or refrained from any one or a combination of racist and/or abusive and/or provocative conduct and/or language".

That charge appears to hinge on evidence to be heard from Phelan, a key witness as Evra claims he did not hear any racist comments during the incident. Chelsea have consistently denied there was any racist element to Bethell's conduct.

Fifa has drawn up a new set of controls limiting the transfer of teenagers. From January 1 all international transfers involving players under the age of 18 would first require the approval of a committee that will investigate the circumstances of the move.

Existing rules state that players may only move in the event of their families relocating for non-football reasons but clubs are getting round the regulations with job offers for parents, something the committee will seek to stamp out. With several unauthorised academies springing up in African and Asian territories, which have in effect set up a market in the traffic of youngsters, Fifa has also taken steps to bring them under its jurisdiction by requiring them to register as clubs within football-association structures. "An awareness campaign director at minors' countries of origin will [also] be launched, to draw the attention of public authorities, parents and minors to the social dangers posed by the issue of minors in football today," said the Fifa directive.

Further discussion will also be held with the international players' union, Fifpro, over the introduction of an obligation for 16-year-olds to sign contracts lasting five years, 17-year-olds four years and 18-year-olds three years. That would ensure developing clubs retain transfer rights over their players for longer.

A whole new ball game

The Premier League has advertised its invitation to tender for the next domestic broadcast-rights deal, from season 2010-11 to 2012-13. The league hopes interest from the US broadcast giant ESPN will help retain competition for domestic rights, which achieved £2.1bn from Sky and Setanta for the current deal. Its late withdrawal from the bidding process for Bundesliga rights might suggest a pooling of resources for a fresh Premier League bid. The tender will allow broadcasters to show football on new broadband products. Sky launched yesterday access to its Sky Player internet service to subscribers who do not have satellite dishes and ESPN has invested in its internet presence.

Gold at a price

Gordon Brown's commitment to the so-called "golden decade" of sport will meet its sternest test as the International Rugby Board seeks £80m in financial guarantees to underwrite England's bid for the 2015 Rugby World Cup. The IRB's chief executive, Mike Miller, told the sports minister, Gerry Sutcliffe, and the Rugby Football Union's chief executive, Francis Baron, at a meeting on Wednesday that it has such government guarantees - an insurance policy for ticket sales - from South Africa, Italy and Russia. Some 2.25m tickets were sold in 2007 in France and England's hosting would be similarly popular. However, one conundrum facing the government would be that, with live bids for the 2018 World Cup of football and the 2019 Cricket World Cup, other sports' governing bodies might seek similar or more expensive guarantees if it meets the IRB's demand.

Blowing the whistle

Brian Mawhinney has evicted the British National Party's publications offshoot from its rented offices. Lord Mawhinney, the Football League chairman, discovered that the BNP had been trading for two months under the name Excalibur in premises belonging to Evans Easyspace, one of the companies he serves as a director, and immediately turned them out. "When it was discovered that it was just a cover for the BNP the lease was terminated," said Mawhinney.

Reaching the knockout stages of the Uefa Cup should represent a success for a club that has been without European football for seven years but there were no celebrations at Villa Park last night as Martin O'Neill's side stumbled into the last 32. The Aston Villa manager named a weakened line-up and, while he could be forgiven for prioritising Sunday's trip to Goodison Park, it was difficult to escape the conclusion that Zilina had been underestimated.

Villa never recovered from a chastening opening period that saw Zilina, who had arrived with one point from three matches and bottom of Group F, race into a two-goal lead inside 19 minutes. Nathan Delfouneso, one of the few bright spots for Villa on an otherwise underwhelming night, marked his full debut with a fine goal before the half-hour but it was not until the final 15 minutes that the Slovakian side's defence came under siege.

Gareth Barry, a second-half substitute, both headed and volleyed wide during that period and Craig Gardner saw a close-range volley clawed clear before he nodded against the upright in the closing seconds but it was not enough to prevent a first Uefa Cup defeat of the season. The outcome might have been more costly but Hamburg's victory over Slavia Prague means that Villa are guaranteed progress to the next stage irrespective of the result in Germany in 12 days' time.

That match does, however, carry significance, with Villa facing the prospect of meeting a Champions League side in the next round if they suffer defeat by Martin Jol's team. O'Neill could not have imagined he would face such a scenario beforehand although this setback, much like the Carling Cup defeat by Queens Park Rangers earlier in the season, suggests that Villa's second-string is not as strong as the Northern Irishman might like to believe.

Mindful of the six points that had been collected from the opening two Uefa Cup fixtures, O'Neill made eight changes here. Villa duly struggled to find any fluency against a spirited Zilina side, although O'Neill was entitled to expect more from several of his fringe players, particularly Zat Knight, who did little to alter the impression that he is an accident waiting to happen whenever he is recalled.

The central defender, who had a towering header from Ashley Young's corner tipped over early on, was involved in both Zilina goals, bizarrely ducking under Vladimir Leitner's cross in the 15th minute to leave Brad Guzan horribly exposed and failing to get tight enough to Peter Styvar four minutes later when the visitors doubled their lead. In fairness, Styvar's goal merited praise with Adauto driving forward from midfield before playing an incisive pass inside Luke Young that Peter Pekarik cut back for the Zilina striker to slide beyond Guzan from the edge of the six-yard box.

Cue delirium on the Zilina bench and stunned silence on the Holte End. At least there was something for the Villa supporters to cheer nine minutes later when Delfouneso, who had made only two substitute appearances previously, executed a superb left-footed volley after Marlon Harewood adroitly chested down Nigel Reo-Coker's long-ball. It was a goal that suggested O'Neill was not exaggerating when he compared the 17-year-old to Gabriel Agbonlahor on the eve of this match. "I thought [Nathan] played brilliantly," said the Villa manager. "What a debut that was. It's hard to say he's an immediate Premiership contender but he's knocking on the door."

Few others caught the eye and it was not until the cavalry arrived midway through the second half - Barry, James Milner and Agbonlahor were all introduced as O'Neill sought a late reprieve - that Zilina began to look uncomfortable. Leitner picked up a second caution when he tugged at Agbonlahor's shirt but Villa were ultimately unable to punish the 10 men.

"We started off rather disjointed and I'm obviously disappointed with the goals that we conceded but I thought we exerted a lot of pressure, especially in the second half," added O'Neill. "I'm disappointed to have lost but I'm delighted to go through to the next round."