MUNICH (AP) — Bayern Munich has extended the contracts of board member for sport Max Eberl and chief executive Jan-Christian Dreesen through June 2029.
The Bavarian powerhouse announced the extensions after its supervisory board meeting late Tuesday, when it reiterated its faith in Eberl and Dreesen to continue in their roles.
“Our board is ideally positioned to drive FC Bayern forward both in sporting and commercial terms and to maintain its leading position in Europe,” the club said.
The 52-year-old Eberl had a challenging start after taking over Bayern’s transfer dealings in February 2024. He endured a long search for a new coach after getting rejections from Xabi Alonso, Julian Nagelsmann and Ralf Rangnick. He then even tried and failed to convince outgoing coach Thomas Tuchel to stay.
Eberl eventually settled on Vincent Kompany, a decision that has proved inspired with the former Manchester City captain leading Bayern to back-to-back Bundesliga titles and a league and cup double last season.
Bayern appointed Dreesen as CEO in May 202 3 after dismissing his predecessor Oliver Kahn. The 58-year-old Dreesen had been vice chairman of the supervisory board since 2014 after joining Bayern as chief financial officer from the banking sector the year before.
See AP’s full soccer coverage here
FILE - Bayern Munich sports director Max Eberl arrives for the Bundesliga soccer match between FC Augsburg and FC Bayern Munich in Augsburg, Germany, Aug. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, File)
BUÑOL, Spain (AP) — Thousands of revelers descended on Buñol on Wednesday for the annual La Tomatina food fight, where they painted the small Spanish town red with up to 165 tons of overripe tomatoes.
Loaded trucks proceeded through the crowd, with people standing in their cargo beds hurling tomatoes at the revelers. Their white shirts soon turned pink and red while American pop songs blasted from speakers. At one point, police appeared to use pepper spray to disperse an area of the crowd, but a festive vibe quickly resumed.
The messy melee takes place for over an hour in the town, where buildings are covered with tarps ahead of the festivities. Held on the last Wednesday of August, the festival traces its origins to a food fight in 1945.
La Tomatina became an annual tradition before Spanish dictator Gen. Francisco Franco banned it in the 1950s. Televised media attention in the 1980s helped turn the festival into a national event, and eventually, an international attraction.
More than 20,000 people were expected to take part this year, with Spanish news agency EFE reporting this week that roughly 40% of participants over the past three years are tourists from outside Spain.
There has been a notable jump in visitors from India in recent years, following the 2011 Bollywood movie “Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara” (“You Only Live Once”), in which three friends take a road-trip through Spain during an extended bachelor party. The film recreated La Tomatina, introducing the festival to many Indians.
The movie is what first drew Romail Khokhar, a 27-year-old from Mumbai, to Buñol. He was there on Wednesday morning, eager to participate in the food fight for his third time.
“I feel really great, actually. It's the best festival that I ever had, and I enjoy a lot here,” said Khokhar, who owns a clothing business.
Similar tomato-flinging events have taken place in Florida, London, Amsterdam, the Colombian town of Sutamarchán and Hyderabad, India.
Non-local attendees pay 15 euros ($17.50) for a ticket. The first and only rule: Squash your tomatoes before hurling them to avoid injuries. Still, many participants don swimming goggles and earplugs for protection.
Once the hour is up, the sound of a cannon blast marks the end of festivities and crowds wash off at communal showers nearby. The town's streets are later hosed down.
Though stains on clothes can be permanent, the tomatoes' citric acid acts as a cleaning agent, often leaving Buñol’s streets cleaner than before.
Revelers throw tomatoes at each other during the annual "Tomatina" tomato fight fiesta, in the village of Bunol near Valencia, Spain, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)
Revelers throw tomatoes at each other during the annual "Tomatina" tomato fight fiesta, in the village of Bunol near Valencia, Spain, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)
Revelers throw tomatoes at each other during the annual "Tomatina" tomato fight fiesta, in the village of Bunol near Valencia, Spain, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)
Revelers throw tomatoes at each other during the annual "Tomatina" tomato fight fiesta, in the village of Bunol near Valencia, Spain, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)
Revelers cheer ahead of the annual "Tomatina" tomato fight fiesta, in the village of Bunol near Valencia, Spain, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)
Revelers from India pose for a picture ahead of the annual "Tomatina" tomato fight fiesta, in the village of Bunol near Valencia, Spain, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)
A reveler dressed in a tomato costume poses for a picture before the annual "Tomatina" tomato fight fiesta, in the village of Bunol near Valencia, Spain, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)
Revelers Vigu, left, and Megha from India pose for a picture ahead of the annual "Tomatina" tomato fight fiesta, in the village of Bunol near Valencia, Spain, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)
Revelers ahead of the annual "Tomatina" tomato fight fiesta, in the village of Bunol near Valencia, Spain, Wednesday, Aug. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Alberto Saiz)
