SEATTLE -On March 6, the Mexican Anti-Doping Committee provisionally suspended Santos Laguna and Colombian striker Harold Preciado for alleged doping. Preciado's suspension took immediate effect, and he will not be allowed to participate in any activities with the club until cleared.
In a statement released by the club, Santos Laguna said that the player "has a period of five days to request a new analysis of the test, in accordance with the procedures detailed by the specialized anti-doping organizations."
The Colombian striker arrived to Santos Laguna in February of 2022 and, since then, he went on to become one of the most important players in the team. The 29-year-old has turned into one of Liga MX's most clinical strikers too, scoring 37 goals in league play for the 'Guerreros.'
Before arriving to Santos Laguna, Preciado had previous experience in the Colombian and Chinese leagues, where he had back-to-back 20+ goal seasons between 2017-18, finishing as the top scorer in China's second division in 2017 (23 goals).
A versatile and mobile striker, Preciado's suspension will be a huge blow for Santos Laguna's attack since the Colombian had a huge influence on how the team attacked.
Even though he has built a reputation of being a clinical finisher, Preciado is a forward that likes to start his plays in midfield, using his pace and strength to carry the ball up the field.
By starting a several yards away from the box, Preciado has been able to use his skill to take advantage of the space in front of him. He ranks first among other Liga MX elite strikers in progressive carries (108) since arriving to Mexico in 2022, 14 more than Tigres' legendary striker André-Pierre Gignac.
Similarly, with more space at his disposal, Preciado has also turned into a reliable creative outlet for Santos Laguna. He has provided 82 key passes in Liga MX play since 2022, a similar number to the total from Club América's Henry Martin (95), who is one of the best link-up forwards in the league.
The 29-year-old Colombian striker has played a total of 82 games for Santos in all competitions, scoring 40 goals and averaging one every 167 minutes. Just last tournament, Preciado finished at the top of the Apertura 2023 goal scoring table with 11 goals, becoming the first Santos Laguna player to win the golden boot since Djaniny Tavares during the Clausura 2018.
It will be a tough task for Santos to find a replacement for their goalscoring machine. Over the Clausura 2024, Preciado missed four games before returning against Querétaro on March 1, scoring the only goal for Santos in what could be his last match for the club. He has scored half of the team's total league goals this campaign (4).
Currently sitting at 13th place in Liga MX after collecting just 10 points from 30 available, the 'Laguneros' hopes for a playoff spot are in trouble more than ever. Santos Laguna has lost six of its 10 league games this season and its next game is against second-place Cruz Azul over the weekend.
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